THIS    BOOK    IS   PLACED    IN    THIS    LIBRARY 

BY    THE 

AMERICAN  SABBATH  TRACT  SOCIETY 

(SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTIST) 
PLAINFIELD,  NEW  JERSEY,   U.  S.  A. 


Columbia  ©nitjerjJitp 

inti)eCitpof^eto|9orfe 


LIBRARY 


GIVEN    BY 


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SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTIST 

®I|0  g>0«tIi-1Ea0tf  rn  AaHonatiott 
HISTORY 


THIS  EDITION  OF 

"  A  HISTORY  OF  SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS 

IN  WEST  VIRGINIA"  IS  LIMITED  TO 

SEVEN  HUNDRED  AND  FIFTY 

COPIES  OF  VV^HICH  THIS  IS 

N  U  MBER  _l_L£l=L__ 


A  HISTORY  OF 

i^^u^ntli  iag  lapttata  in 

INCLUDING    THE   WOODBRIDGETOWN 

AND  SALEMVILLE  CHURCHES  IN 

PENNSYLVANIA    AND    THE 

SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 

IN    NEW   JERSEY 


BY 


CORLISS  FITZ  RANDOLPH 

Chairman  of  The  Committee  on  Denominational 

History  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 

General  Conference 


Printed  for  the  Author  by 
THE  AMERICAN  SABBATH  TRACT  SOCIETY 

(Seventh  Day  Baptist) 

Plainfield,  New  Jersey 
1905 


Copyright,  IQ05      "T"  " 

By  Corliss  Fitz  Randolph 


TO 

Whose  Patient  Precept,  Lofty  Example,  and 

Affectionate  Encouragement 

Have  Inspired  This   Volume. 


PREFACE. 

ilWWWWWWWglHIS  volume  is  the  result  of  an  invi- 
l«j^j^Ai»JiiJtAXAiliAii»i^  tation  to  prepare  a  historical  paper 
*:*^t*  relating  to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
South-Eastern  x\ssociation,  for  the 
meeting  held  at  Ashaway,  Rhode 
EWm  ^'^3     Island,   in   August,    1902,   in   com- 

ii^^j^^'^^^I^S    memoration  of  the  organisation  ot 
[S*iyytjyyyyyyyyitjyi.lit®    the  Seventh  Day    Baptist    General 

Conference  one  hunderd  years 
before.  For  four  years,  all  the  time  which  could  be  spared 
from  a  very  busy  life,  has  been  devoted  to  its  preparation. 

My  first  plan  was  to  write  a  paper  which  I  hoped  could 
be  completed  in  about  two  weeks.  As  soon  as  I  began  to 
examine  what  had  been  published  relating  to  the  subject, 
however,  I  found  that  I  should  be  obliged  to  consult  the  origi- 
nal records.  As  a  result,  I  soon  altered  my  plans,  and  began 
the  preparation  of  a  more  exhaustive  treatise,  designed  to  be 
a  classified  epitome  of  all  existing  records  relating  to  Seventh 
Day  Baptists  in  Western  Virginia,  including  the  Shrewsbury 
Church  of  Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey,  and  the  Wood- 
bridgetown  Church  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvaia,  and  the 
Salemville  Church  of  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania;  in  short, 
to  supply  the  material  needed  for  some  future  historian  to 
write  a  narrative  of  these  people  in  story  form,  occupying 
about  two-fifths  the  space  of  this  book.  At  one  time  I  con- 
templated such  a  narrative  as  a  suitable  introduction  to  the 
present  work,  which  long  ago  grew  to  proportions  such  as  make 
that  impracticable. 

In  the  pursuit  of  the  plan  finally  adopted,  I  have  carefully 


viii        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

examined,  twice,  all  the  records  known  to  be  in  existence 
relating  to  the  subject.  The  site  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church,  but 
a  few  miles  distant  from  Asbury  Park,  New  Jersey — long  ago 
forgotten — I  have  identified,  and  visited  several  times.  Besides 
numerous  visits  of  myself  and  interested  friends  to  the  offices 
of  the  Secretary  of  State,  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey ;  the  Secre- 
tary of  State  at  Richmond,  Virginia;  the  Clerk  of  the  County 
Court  and  the  Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Harrison  County, 
West  Virginia ;  and  the  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  and  the 
Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Doddridge  County,  West  Vir- 
ginia, an  extensive  correspondence  has  reached  every  known 
or  supposed  source  of  desirable  information.  In  one  instance, 
for  example,  I  searched  four  large  metropolitan  libraries,  and 
corresponded  with  the  United  States  War  Department,  as  well 
as  the  Department  of  State,  four  prominent  historical  societies, 
two  adjutant  generals,  and  one  state  historian,  besides  num- 
erous private  individuals,  for  a  period  of  several  weeks,  with  a 
net  result  of  less  than  four  full  lines  of  print,  and  that  of  very 
doubtful  value.  This  is  a  rather  rare  example,  but  it  shows  the 
care  constantly  bestowed  upon  minute  details  of  investigation. 
In  but  two  instances,  both  relatively  unimportant,  were  my 
requests  for  assistance  unheeded.  Without  such  cordial,  unan- 
imous co-operation,  my  task  would  have  been  exceedingly 
difficult. 

For  much  of  the  more  important  service  thus  rendered, 
due  acknowledgment  has  been  made  in  appropriate  connection 
in  the  body  of  the  work.  The  multitude  of  other  friends  to 
whom  I  am  indebted,  space  forbids  me  to  mention  by  name. 
I  cannot  forbear  naming  a  very  few,  however.  Among  these 
are,  Professor  Jasper  N.  Deahl  of  the  West  Virginia  Uni- 
versity, through  whose  courtesy  exceptional  privileges 
in  the  library  of  that  institution  were  granted  me;  Charles 
H.  Greene,  Esquire,  of  Alfred,  New  York,  who  generously 
placed  at  my  disposal  his  valuable  manuscripts  upon  Seventh 


PREFACE  ix 

Day  Baptist  History ;  and  the  Honourable  Isaiah  Bee,  M.  D., 
of  Princeton,  West  Virginia,  whose  personal  knowledge  of  the 
early  Seventh  Day  Baptist  family  history  of  Western  Vir- 
ginia is  probably  greater  than  that  of  any  other  living  person. 

However,  more  than  to  any  one  else,  and  more  than  to  all 
others,  even,  I  am  indebted  to  my  father,  Franklin  F.  Ran- 
dolph, Esquire,  of  Xew  Milton,  West  Virginia,  without  whose 
assistance  and  encouragement,  I  should  have  been  compelled 
materially  to  curtail  the  plan  of  the  work,  if  not  wholly  to 
abandon  it.  Possessed  of  a  wdde  personal  acquaintance  with 
the  subject,  due  in  no  small  measure  to  his  official  connection 
with  several  of  the  churches,  besides  other  organisations,  and 
a  vivid  recollection,  covering  upw^ards  of  sixty  years  of  the 
period  treated,  together  with  rich  resources  of  invaluable 
private  papers,  among  which  were  those  belonging  to  Samuel 
Fitz  Randolph,  the  founder  of  the  village  of  New  Salem,  in 
Western  Virginia,  Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph,  Jepthah  Fitz  Ran- 
dolph, and  William  Fitz  Randolph,  his  great-grandfather, 
grandfather,  father,  and  uncle,  respectively,  he  has  contributed 
time  and  labour  without  stint  to  the  success  of  the  enterprise. 

In  the  selection  of  illustrations,  my  sole  aim  has  been  to 
complete  the  record  as  far  as  possible,  of  which  suitable  illus- 
trations,  of  necessity,   form  an   important  part. 

The  maps  were  all  drawn  by  myself.  No  attempt  was 
made  to  draw  them  to  scale,  as  a  sufficient  number  of  familiar 
landmarks  were  introduced  into  each  to  render  accurate  meas- 
urements unnecessary. 

The  restorations  of  buildings  and  maps  long  since  disap- 
peared, with  a  single  exception,  were  all  made  from  pencil 
sketches  drawn  by  myself  from  available,  trustworthy  data. 
Doubtless,  they  are  all  faulty  in  minor  details,  but  in  respect 
to  the  main  features,  they  are  believed  to  be  essentially 
correct. 

In  making  abstracts  directly   from  the  records.   I  have 


X  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

endeavoured  to  preserve  the  original  language  of  the  records, 
even  where  the  abstract  is  not  a  direct  quotation. 

Certain  historical  facts  have  been  repeated  more  or  less 
often,  in  order  to  complete  groups  of  related  facts. 

It  should  be  borne  in  mind  constantly  by  the  reader  that, 
unless  specifically  stated  to  the  contrary  at  any  given  point, 
this  history  ends  with  August  i,  1902. 

Due  apology  is  offered  the  disappointed  subscriber  for 
several  unexpected  delays  in  the  publication  of  the  book  owing 
to  unforeseen  difficulties  beyond  the  control  of  the  publisher. 

The  appended  list  of  references  is  by  no  means  exhaustive. 
It  contains,  however,  such  authorities  as  are  indispensible,  or 
at  least  representative. 

The  typographical  excellence  of  the  work  is  due  to  the 
unsparing  pains  of  the  late  Mr.  John  Hiscox,  manager  of  the 
publishing  house  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society, 
whose  untimely  death  is  recorded  as  the  last  few  pages  of  the 
book  are  passing  through  the  press. 

I  dare  not  hope  that  this  book  has  escaped  errors  of 
detail — as  to  fact  and  date — common  to  its  kind,  and  I  shall 
be  pleased  to  receive  corrections  from  interested  readers. 

Corliss  Fitz  Randolph. 
Newark,  New  Jersey, 

December  5,  1905. 


AUTHORITIES. 

MANUSCRIPT   RECORDS. 

Skrezvsbury  and  Nczv  Salem  Churches,  4  vols. 

Lost  Creek  Church,  3  vols. 

Middle  Island  Church,  3  vols. 

South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  i  vol. 

Ritchie  Church,  2  vols. 

Greenbrier  Church,   i   vol. 

Roanoke  Church,  i  vol. 

Conings  Church,  i  vol. 

Salemville  Church,  i  vol. 

Copen  Church,  i  vol. 

West  Union  Church,  i  vol. 

Black  Lick  Church,  i  vol. 

South-Western  Association,  and   Virginia  Association,  i  vol. 

West  Union  Academy,  i  vol. 


PUBLICATIONS. 

History   of  Monmouth   and   Ocean   Counties    (New  Jersey).     By 
Edwin  Saltus.     Bayonne,  N.  J.     1890. 

A   History  of  Nezv  Jersey  from    its  Earliest    Settlement    to    the 
Present  Time.     By  John  O.  Raum.     2  vols.     Philadelphia.     1877. 

Historical  Collections  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey.     By  John  W. 
Barber  and  Henry  Howe.     Newark,  N.  J.     1857. 

A  Gazetteer  of  the  State  of  Nezv  Jersey.     By  Thomas  F.  Gordon. 
Trenton  (N.  J.).     1834. 

Stories  of  New  Jersey.     By  Frank  R.  Stockton.     New  York.     1896. 

Official  Register  of  the  Officers  and  Men  of   Nezv   Jersey   in    the 
Revolutionary  War.     By  W.  S.  Stryker.     Trenton,  N.  J.     1872. 


xii  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Archives  of  the  State  of  New  lersey.  First  Series.  Vol.  xxii. 
(Marriage  Records,  1665-1800).  By  William  Nelson.  Paterson,  N.  J. 
1900. 

Notes  on  the  State  of  J-^irginia.  By  Thomas  Jefiferson.  Paris. 
1784.     American  edition  1787. 

Historical  Collections  of  Virginia.  By  Henry  Howe.  Charleston, 
S.  C.     1845. 

Chronicles  of  Border  Warfare.  By  Alexander  Withers.  Clarks- 
burg, Va.  1831.  New  edition,  by  Reuben  Gold  Thwaites.  Cincinnati. 
1895. 

Notes  on  the  Settlements  and  Indian  Wars  of  the  Western  Parts 
of  Virginia  and  Pennsylvania,  from  1763  to  1783  inclusive.  By  Joseph 
Doddridge.     Reprint.     Albany,  N.  Y.     1876. 

Notes  on  the  Early  Settlement  of  the  North-Western  Territory. 
By  Jacob   Burnet.     New   York  and   Cincinnati.     1847. 

History  of  West  Virginia.  By  Virgil  A.  Lewis.  Philadelphia. 
1887. 

The  History  and  Government  of  West  Virginia.  By  Fast  and 
Maxwell.     Morgantown    (W.    Va.).     1901. 

Dyer's  Index  to  Land  Grants  in  West  Virginia.  Charleston  (W. 
Va.).     1895. 

Atlas  of  Harrison  County,  West  Plrginia.     Philadelphia.     1886. 

Hardesty's  Historical  and  Geographical  Encyclopaedia  (Counties  of 
Harrison  and  Marion,  W.  Va.,  i  vol. ;  and  Ritchie  and  Doddridge,  W. 
Va.,  I  vol.).     Chicago  and  Toledo.     1883. 

Reports  of  the  Adjutant  General  of  IVest  Virginia.  For  years 
1864  and  1865.     Wheeling.     1865-1866. 

A  History  of  the  Davis  Families.  By  James  B.  Davis.  (Salem, 
W.  Va.     1895). 

Genealogy  of  the  Sharpless  Family.  Descended  from  lohn  and 
Jane  Sharpless.     By  Gilbert  Cope.     Philadelphia.     1887. 

Transallegheny  Historical  Magazine.  Quarterly.  1901-1902.  Mor- 
gantown, W.  Va. 

West  Virginia  Historical  Magazine.  Quarterly.  1901-1905. 
Charleston,  W.  Va. 

History  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  By  Franklin  Ellis. 
Philadelphia.     1882. 

Flistory  of  Monongalia  County,  West  Virginia.  By  Samuel  T. 
Willey.     Kingwood,  W.  Va.     1883. 


AUTHORITIES  xiii 

History  of  Preston  County,  West  Virginia.  By  S.  T.  Willey. 
Kingwood   (W.  Va.).     1882. 

IVilliam  and  Mary  College  Quarterly..  .Vols.  I-XIII.     1892-1905. 

Minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  from  its 
organisation  in  1802  down  to  1902.     (v.  d.,  v.  p.)- 

Minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  (v.  d., 
V.  p.). 

Minutes  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,     (v.  d.,  v.  p.). 

Minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society,  (v.  d., 
V.  p.). 

Minutes  of  the  South-Western  and  Virginia  Associations,  (v.  d., 
V.  p.). 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine.  Irregular.  Vols. 
I-II  (all  published),     v.  p.     1821-1825. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial.  Quarterly.  Vols.  I-III  (all 
published).     New   York.     1852-54. 

The  Protestant  Sentinel.     Weekly,     (v.  p.).     1830-1839. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Register.  Weekly.  DeRuyter,  N.  Y. 
1 840- 1844. 

The  Sabbath  Recorder.     Weekly,     (v.  p.).     1844-1902. 

Jubilee  Papers.  Historical  Papers  Commemorating  the  Fiftieth 
Anniversary  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and  the 
Centennial  of  the  William  Carey  Foreign  Mission  Movement.  Alfred 
Centre,  N.  Y.     1892. 

The  Salem  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church.  By  Rev.  Theodore  L. 
Gardiner.     Alfred  Centre,  N.  Y.     1892. 

A  General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in  America,  and 
Other  Parts  of  the  World.     By  David  Benedict.     2  vols.     Boston.  1813. 

History  of  the  Welsh  Baptists.     By  J.  Davis.     Pittsburgh.     1835. 

Materials  Tozcard  a  History  of  the  American  Baptists.  By  Mor- 
gan Edwards.  Vol.  1.  Pennsylvania.  Philadelphia.  1770.  Vol.  II. 
Nezv  Jersey.     Philadelphia.     1792. 

A  History  of  the  Baptists.  By  Thomas  Armitage.  New  York. 
1887. 

A  History  of  the  Sabbatarians  or  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  America. 
By  Henry  Clarke.     Utica   (N.  Y.).     1811. 

The  German  Pietists  in  Pennsylvania.  By  Julius  Friedrich  Sachse. 
Philadelphia.     1895. 


xiv         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

History   of  the  Seventh    Day    Baptist    General    Conference.    By 
James  Bailey.    Toledo.     1866. 

Autobiography  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell.     Edited  by  C.  A.  Bur- 
dick,  Watertown,  N.  Y.     1883. 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Preface vii 

Authorities xi 

Illustrations   xix 

I.  William  Davis  of  Wales i 

II.  The  Shrewsbury  Church 9 

III.  Western  Virginia 41 

IV.  Frontier  Life  in  Western  Virginia 63 

V.  The  Woodbridgetown  Church 73 

VI.     The  New  Salem  Church 83 

VII.     The  West  Fork  River  Church 135 

VIII.     The  Lost  Creek  Church 143 

IX.     The  Middle  Island  Church 173 

X.  The  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church.  195 

XI.  The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  or  Pine 

Grove,  Church 199 

XII.     The  Ritchie  Church 213 

XIII.  The  Greenbrier  Church 229 

XIV.  The  Roanoke,  or  West  Fork,  Church 2^7 

XV.    The  Conings,  or  Bear  Fork,  Church 241 

XVI.    The  Salemville  Church 245 

XVII.     The  Copen  Church 251 

XVIII.     The  West  Union  Church 255 


xvi         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

XIX.  The  Black  Lick  Church 261 

XX.  The  South-Western  Association 265 

XXI.  The  South-Eastern  Association 281 

XXII.  Missionary  Work 313 

XXIII.  Sabbath  Reform     331 

XXIV.  Sabbath  Schools 335 

XXV.  West  Union  Academy 343 

XXVI.     Salem   College 367 

XXVII.     Slavery  383 

Appendix. 


Biographical  Sketches. 

Rev.  John  Davis 397 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis 398 

Rev.  John  Davis,  2d 398 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis 400 

Rev.  Peter  Davis 401 

Rev.  James  Ball  Davis 403 

Rev.  Samuel  Davis  Davis 405 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  2d 411 

Rev.  Enoch  David 413 

Rev.  Richard  Clayton  Bond 414 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph 415 

Jepthah  Fitz  Randolph 418 

Franklin  Fitz  Randolph 419 

Rev.  Azor  Estee 420 

Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter  ....  422 

Daniel  Maxson  Burdick 422 

Moses  Hoffman  Davis 423 

Rev.  David  W.  Leath 423 

Clyde  Fitz  Randolph 424 


CONTENTS  xvii 

Clarke's  Account  of  the  Virginia 
Churches   426 

Ministers  Descended  from  William  Davis  427 

Marriages    428 

Wills,  Etc 435 

Tombstone  Inscriptions. 

New  Jersey 440 

Pennsylvania   440 

West  Virginia 441 

A  List  of  Students  Who  Matriculated  in 
Alfred  University  From  West  Virginia  447 

Seventh  Day  Baptist  Soldiers. 

Revolutionary  War 450 

Wayne's  War 450 

War  of  1812 450 

Civil  War 450 

Purchasers  of  Town  Lots  at  New  Salem  453 

Index   455 

A  List  of  Advance  Subscribers  to  "A  His- 
tory OF  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  West 
Virginia.''    493 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

1.  Samuel  D.  Davis Frontispiece 

2.  Corliss  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page     xxvi 

3.  Title  Page  of    William    Davis's 

Book,  Facsimile Page      3 

4.  Map  of  Shrewsbury  and  Vicinity Page     11 

5.  Map  Showing  the  Original  Site 

OF    the    Shrewsbury    Church. 

Etc    Page     13 

6.  Site  of   the   Former   Village  of 

SouAN,  Adjoining  the  Shrews- 
bury Church Opposite  page     14 

7.  Original   Record    Book    of    the 

Shrewsbury     and     the     New 

Salem  Churches  Opposite  page     18 

8.  The   "Awful   Sentence    of    Ex- 

communication"     Opposite  page     26 

9.  The    Deed    for    the    Shrewsbury 

Church  Lot Opposite  page    28 

10.  The  Shrewsbury  Church Opposite  page     34 

11.  Interior  of  Shrewsbury  Church, 

Looking  Toward  the  Front.  . .  .Opposite  page     36 

12.  Interior  of  Shrewsbury  Church, 

Looking  Toward  the  Rear Opposite  page     38 

13.  Inscription     on     Stone     Tablet 

from  Great  Mound  at  Mounds- 

ville    Page    42 

14.  The  Great    Mound    at    Mounds- 

ville    Opposite  page    44 


<x         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

15.  Map    of    Emigration    from    New 

Jersey  and  Maryland  to  West- 
ern Virginia Opposite  page     46 

16.  Map  of  District  of  West  Augus- 

ta,   Etc Page     49 

17.  Surveyor's  Map  of  Land  at  New 

Salem,  Virginia,  Sold  to  Sam- 
uel Fitz  Randolph Page     51 

18.  Home    of    Jesse    Fitz    Randolph, 

AT  New  Salem Opposite  page     52 

19.  A   West   Virginia   Home   of   the 

Middle     of     the     Nineteenth 

Century   Opposite  page     54 

20.  Map  of  the  Village  of  New  Sal- 

em, as  Laid  Out  by  Samuel  F. 

Randolph.     A  Restoration Page     57 

21.  A  Log  School  House Opposite  page     58 

22.  A  Quiet  Hour Opposite  page    60 

2^.     A  Horseback  Wedding Opposite  page    64 

24.  A  Wedding  Group Opposite  page    66 

25.  A  Log  Cabin Opposite  page    68 

26.  Mountain  Life Opposite  page     70 

27.  Woodbridgetown      Church      and 

Grav^eyard  Opposite  page     74 

28.  Salem,  Looking  West Opposite  page    84 

29.  Salem,    Looking  East,    Showing. 

Oil  Wells  in  West  End Opposite  page    86 

30.  The  Old  Log   Church    at    New 

Salem    Opposite  page  100 

New  Salem Opposite  page  102 

31.  Interior  of  Old  Log  Church  at 
;^2.     The  New  Salem  Church,  Frame 

Building  Opposite  page  104 

33.  The  Salem  Church Opposite  page     106 

34.  The  Parsonage  at  Salem Opposite  page  108 


ILLIUSTRATIONS  xxi 

Residence    of    Rev.    Charles    A. 

BuRDicK,  AT  New  Salem Opposite  page  no 

Rev.  Theodore  Livingston  Gardi- 
ner, D.  D Opposite  page  1 18 

Jepthah  F,  Randolph Opposite  page  120 

LoDOwicK  Hughes  Davis Opposite  page  122 

Franklin  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  124 

The  Village  of  Lost  Creek Opposite  page  150 

Graveyard  at  Lost  Creek,  at  Site 

of"Old  Frame  Meeting  HousE".Opposite  page  152 

Rev.  David  Clawson Opposite  page  156 

Abel  P.  Bond, 

Brumfield  Bond Opposite  page  158 

The  Lost  Creek  Church Opposite  page  160 

The  Parsonage  at  Lost  Creek Opposite  page  162 

Re\^  William  L.  Burdick Opposite  page  166 

Graveyard  at  West  Union Opposite  page  178 

Log  School  House  at  the  Mouth 

OF  Sugar  Camp  Run Opposite  page  180 

The  Middle  Island  Church Opposite  page  182 

The  Middle  Island  Church  and 

Parsonage    Opposite  page  184 

Rev.  James  Ball  Davis Opposite  page  190 

The  Pine  Grove  Church Opposite  page  208 

The  Ritchie  Church Opposite  page  214 

The  Parsonage  at  Ritchie Opposite  page  216 

Rev.  Lely  Daniel  Seager Opposite  page  218 

Rev.  Peril  R.  Burdick Opposite  page  220 

Rev.  Riley  G.  Davis Opposite  page  222 

Rev.  Lewis  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  230 

The  Greenbrier  Church Opposite  page  232 

Former  Residence  of  Rev.  Lewis 
Fitz  Randolph,  on  Greenbrier 

Run   Opposite  page  234 

61.     The  Roanoke  Church Opposite  page  238 


xxii        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

62.  The  Conings  Church Opposite  page  242 

63.  The     Salemville     Church     and 

Parsonage    Opposite  page  246 

64.  Rev,  George  B.  Kagarise, 

Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott Opposite  page  248 

65.  The  Black  Lick  Church Opposite  page  262 

66.  Moses  Hoffman  Davis Opposite  page  286 

67.  Rev.    Gideon    Henry    Fitz    Ran- 

dolph   Opposite  page  288 

68.  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney, 
Rev.  Uri  M.  Babcock, 
Rev.  John  L.  Huffman, 

Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman Opposite  page  292 

69.  Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick, 

Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis, 

Rev.  Charles  W.  Threlkeld, 

Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills Opposite  page  298 

70.  Rev.  Sanford  Lafayette  Maxson  .  Opposite  page  304 

71.  Rev.  George  W.  Lewis Opposite  page  306 

y2.     Rev.  Ellis  Adelbert  Witter Opposite  page  308 

yT,-     Map  Showing  Churches  in  the 

South-Eastern   Association  ...  Opposite   page  310 

74.  Rev.  John  Greene, 

Rev.  John  Davis,  of  Shiloh, 

John  Bright, 
Rev.  Joel  Greene, 
Rev.  James  Bailey Opposite  page  320 

75.  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell, 
Rev.  Stillman  Coon, 
Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette, 

Rev.  Charles  M.  Lewis .Opposite  page  324 

76.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick Opposite  page  328 

yy.     Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis,  D.  D. 

Opposite  page  332 
78.     The    West    Union    Academy,    as 

Originally  Built Opposite  page  344 


ILLIUSTRATIONS  xxiii 

79.  West    Union    Academy,    From    a 

Photograph  Taken  in  1902. ..  .Opposite  page  346 

80.  Captain  Nathan  Davis Opposite  page  348 

81.  Samuel  Preston  Fitz  Randolph.  .Opposite  page  350 

82.  Franklin  F.  Randolph, 
Preston  F.  Randolph, 
Virginia  F.  Randolph, 
Isaiah   Bee, 

Lewis  Townsend  Davis Opposite  page  352 

83.  Facsimile      of      Prospectus      of 

North  -  Western         Virginia 

Academy    Page  355 

84.  Preston  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  356 

85.  Salem     Academy,     Facsimile     of 

Prospectus    Page  359 

86.  Thomas  H.  Lowther, 
Stillman  F.  Lowther, 
Luther  F.  Randolph, 
Davis  N.  Meredith, 

Thomas  B.  Pepper Opposite  page  360 

87.  Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter, 
Daniel  Maxson  Burdick, 

AzoR  Estee Opposite  page  362 

88.  Terence  M.  Davis, 
Corliss  F.  Randolph,  . 

Gideon  Henry  F.  Randolph, 

Luther  A.  Bond Opposite  page  368 

89.  Salem  College Opposite  page  370 

90.  Jesse  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  372 

91.  George    Washington    Fitz     Ran- 

dolph   Opposite  page  374 

92.  EsLE  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  376 

93.  Alice  Clawson  Gardiner, 
Elsie  B.  Bond, 

Cortez  R.  Clawson, 

Samuel  B.   Bond Opposite  page  378 


xxiv        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

94.  President  Gardiner  and  a  Group 

OF  Salem  College  Students  ....  Opposite  page  380 

95.  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis Opposite  page  400 

96.  Home  of  Rev.    James    B.    Davis, 

Near  New  Milton Opposite  page  404 

97.  Rev.  Boothe  Colwell  Davis,  D.  D  .  .  Opposite  page  406 

98.  Rev.  Samuel  Hoffman  Davis Opposite  page  408 

99.  The   Home  of    Rev.     Samuel    D. 

Davis,  Near  Jane  Lew Opposite  page  410 

100.  Rev.  Jacob    Davis Opposite  page  412 

10 1.  Rev.  Richard  C.  Bond Opposite  page  414 

102.  The  Commission  of  Samuel  Fitz 

Randolph,   as   Ensign    in   the 

Revolutionary  War Opposite  page  416 

103.  The  Home  of  Jepthah  Fitz  Ran- 

dolph, AT  New  Milton Opposite  page  418 

104.  Franklin  F.  Randolph Opposite  page  420 

105.  Rev.  David  W.  Leath Opposite  page  422 

106.  Clyde  Fitz  Randolph Opposite  page  424 

107.  The  Sole  Remaining  Gravestone 

IN  the  Graveyard  at  Shrews- 
bury   Opposite  page  440 

108.  Graves  of  Samuel  and  Margaret 

Fitz  Randolph  at  Salem Opposite  page  442 

109.  Rev.  Darius  King  Davis Opposite  page  448 


Corliss  Fitz  Randolph,  son  of  Franklin  and  Mary  Elisabeth 
(Fox)  Fitz  Randolph,  was  born  at  New  Milton,  Doddridge  County, 
West  Virginia,  July  24,  1863.  He  is  a  lineal  descendant  of  William 
Davis  of  Wales,  the  founder  of  the  Shrewsbury-New  Salem  Church. 
He  is  likewise  a  descendant,  in  the  fourth  generation,  of  Samuel  Fitz 
Randolph,  the  founder  of  the  village  of  New  Salem,  in  Harrison  County, 
Virginia, — now  West  Virginia. 

His  early  education  was  obtained  in  the  public  and  private  schools 
of  Doddridge  and  Harrison  counties,  West  Virginia.  In  1888,  he 
graduated  from  Alfred  University,  at  Alfred,  New  York,  with  the 
degrees  of  B.  A.,  and  M.  A.  From  1896  to  1899,  he  pursued  a  course 
of  graduate  study  at  Columbia  University,  where  he  held,  successively, 
the  following  appointments : —  University  Scholar  in  Latin,  President's 
University  Scholar  in  Latin,  and  Drisler  Fellow  in  Classical  Philology. 
Subsequently,  he  was  a  non-resident  lecturer  in  the  Latin  Language  and 
Literature,  and  in  Classical  Philology,  in  Alfred  University.  In  1903, 
Alfred  University  conferred  upon  him  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Letters  (litterarum  humaniorum  doctor),  and  in  1904,  Salem  College 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Philosoph}\ 

He  has  long  been  closely  identified  with  the  interests  of  his  Alma 
Mater — Alfred  University — of  which  he  has  been  a  trustee  since  1895. 
He  has  also  served  as  president  of  the  Alfred  Alumni  Association. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  First  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of  New 
York  City.  Since  1890,  he  has  been  a  director  of  the  American  Sab- 
bath Tract  Society  (Seventh  Day  Baptist),  and  since  1901,  he  has 
been  recording  secretary  of  the  Sabbath  School  Board  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  General  Conference.  In  1903,  he  succeeded  to  the  chair- 
manship of  the  Committee  on  Denominational  History,  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  a  position  held  for  many  years  by  the 
late  Reverend  William  Clarke  Whitford,  D.D.,  President  of  Milton 
College. 


CORLISS    FITZ     RANDOLPH. 


CORRECTIONS. 

Page  31,  line  6  from  bottom  of  page.    For  July  read  June. 

Page  ^y,  between  lines  25  and  26,  insert  sub-head  ministers. 

Page  47,  line  12.     Omit  Leivis. 

Page  67,  line  22.     For  door  read  floor. 

Page  78,  line  8.     For  1809  read  1793. 

Page  85,  line  7.     For  bettle  read  &^;/(?. 

Page  104,  line  18  from  bottom.     For  1793  read  1795. 

Page  107,  line  7  from  bottom.     For  west  read  north. 

Page  no,  line  3  of  foot-note.     For  Nw  read  A'^^ii'. 

Page  176,  line  6.     For  upzvards  of  read  nearly. 

Page  203,  line  i  of  foot-note.     For  I'n  read  is. 

Page  241,  last  line.     For  Clarke  read  Clark. 

Page  252,  line  23.     For  Clarke  read  Clark. 

Page  256,  line  17.     For  Ilsand  read  Island. 

Page  256,  line  22.     For  Ppeston  read  Preston. 

Page  290,  line  14  from  bottom.     For  preceeding  read  preceding. 

Page  291,  line  11.     For  n^zy  read  news. 

Page  325,  line  10  from  bottom.     For  hcardened  read  hardened. 

Page  353,  last  line  but  one.     For  modelled  read  modeled. 

Page  378,  between  lines  8  and  9,  insert  the  following: — 

Flavius  J.  Ehret,  1892-1893. 
Moses  H.  VanHorn,  1894. 

Page  404,  line  8.     For  Northhampton  read  Northampton. 

Page  407,  line  10  from  bottom.     For  Tennesee  read  Tennessee. 

Page  422,  line  19.     For  Onondago  read  Onondaga. 


%'mfi}prv]innnf>(nnr^^ 


i*JliUt«L*L*.RAAXAXJLIUULJUliLJLaXAJL<LRXJ^^ 


I. 


WILLIAM  DAVIS  OF  WALES. 


^^  ¥¥¥¥¥¥  V¥V¥jri 

Mi 


ILLIAIM  DAVIS,  so  the  record  runs, 
was  born  of  respectable  parentage 
in  Glamorganshire,  Wales,  in  the 
year  1663.  While  conclusive  proof 
is  wanting  to  that  effect,  it  is  more 
than  probable  that  his  father  was 
one  of  four  brothers,  all  of  whom 
were  members  of  the  aristocratic 
Penyfay  Church  in  the  county  of 
Glamorgan,  a  branch  of  the  Bap- 
tist church  of  Swansea.  One  of  these  brothers  was  high 
sheriff ;  another,  deputy  sheriff ;  a  third,  recorder  of  the  county 
of  Glamorgan;  and  the  fourth  brother,  chaplain  to  the  judge 
in  the  county  town  of  Cardiff.^ 

William  Davis  was  educated  at  Oxford  University,  his 
parents  intending  that  he  should  become  a  clergyman.  While 
at  Oxford,  he  became  interested  in  the  doctrines  of  George 
Fox,  the  Quaker,  and  joined  that  church.  He  now  left  the 
university,  and  became  a  public  speaker  among  the  Quakers. 
He  soon  afterward  sailed  for  America,  with  a  company  of 
Quakers,  to  join  William  Penn's  Pennsylvania  colony. 

He  arrived  in  America  in  1684,  and  seven  years  after- 
ward, in  1691,  he  was  one  of  forty-eight  persons  who  separat- 
ed from  William  Penn  and  became  followers  of  George  Keith, 
who  was  what  may  be  termed  a  Baptist-Quaker.  Some  five 
years  later,  he  again  changed  his  views,  and  was  baptized  by 
Rev.  Thomas  Killingworth,  the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church 


I.     Davis,    Welsh  Baptists,   p.    135. 


2  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

in  Cohansey  (now  Roadstown),  New  Jersey,  and  soon  after- 
ward joined  the  Pennepek  Baptist  Church,  near  Philadelphia, 
of  which  he  was  made  pastor/ 

February  17,  1698,  he  w^as  banished  from  the  Pennepek 
Church,  on  account  of  his  un-orthodox  views  concerning  the 
person  of  Christ.  William  Davis  maintained  that  Christ  was 
neither  human  nor  divine,  but  of  a  blended  nature,  like  '"wine 
and  water  in  a  glass." 

He  at  once  went  to  Upper  Providence  near  Philadelphia 
upon  the  invitation  of  Abel  Noble,  and  learned  from  him  the 
doctrine  of  the  supremacy  of  the  moral  law  and  the  binding 
force  in  perpetuity  of  all  its  precepts,  and  the  consequent 
inevitable  conclusion  that  the  Seventh  Day  of  the  week,  the 
Sabbath  of  the  fourth  commandment,  was  the  Sabbath  enjoin- 
ed upon  all  Christians.  He  now  joined  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  organisation  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  following  year  he  published  a  book,  entitled  "Jesus 
the  Crucified  Man,  the  Eternal  Son  of  God,"  etc.,  in  vindication 
of  the  doctrine  for  which  he  was  expelled  from  Pennepek.- 
This  provoked  a  spirited  reply  from  Rev.  John  Watts,  pastor  of 
the  Pennepek  Church  in  a  book  entitled  "Davis  Disabled."^ 

In  the  latter  part  of  1699,  William  Davis  returned  to 
Pennepek  and  there  organised  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church 
from  among  former  Keithians  and  others  in  the  vicinity,  as 
the  first  branch  of  the  Providence  (Pennsylvania)  Church. 
Thomas  Graves  gave  the  church  a  lot  of  ground  on  which  they 
erected  a  log  meeting  house.  In  the  year  1700,  William  Davis 
baptized  six  persons  in  the  Pennepek. 

1.  "In  1687  a  company  of  Welsh  and  Irish  Baptists  crossed  the  Atlantic  and 
settled  at  Lower  Dublin,  Pa.,  otherwise  called  Pemmepeka,  Pennepek,  or  Penny- 
pack,  a  word  of  the  Delaware  Indians  which  signifies,  according  to  Heckewelder, 
a  'pond,  lake,  or  bay;  water  not  having  a  current.'  "  Armitage,  History  of  the 
Baptists,  p.   707. 

2.  Issues  of  the  American  Press  in  Pcnnsykania.  By  Charles  R.  Hildeburn. 
No.  86.  The  Complete  title  of  William  Davis's  book  was  as  follows:  "Jesus  \\ 
The  Crucified  Man,  \\  the  \\  Eternal  Son  of  God,  \\  or,  an  \\  Answer  \\  to  an 
Anathema  or  Paper  of  \\  Excommunication,  of  John  Watts,  en-  ||  tituled.  Points 
of  Doctrine  preached  &  \  |  asserted  by  William  Davis,  \  \  wherein  the  mystery  of 
Christ's  Descen-  \\  tion,  Incarnation  and  Crucifixion  is  ||  Unfolded,  \\  By  William 
Davis.  [Printed  by  Reynier  Jansen,  Philadelphia,  1700]."  Cf.  Sachse's  German 
Pietists  of  Provincial  Pennsylvania.  Pp.  162,  164  et  seq.  The  fac  simile,  on  the 
opposite  page,  of  the  title  page  of  William  Davis's  tract  is  from  Sachse's  German 
Pietists,  p.    165. 

3.  "There  was  an  order  for  printing  this  book  dated  August  3,  1705,  but  it 
was  not  executed."  Benedict,  General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 
America.       Vol.  I,  p.  582. 


WILLIAM  DAVIS  OF  WALES 


JESUS 

The  Crucifyed  Man, 

THE 

Euernal  Son  of  God^ 

O  R,     A  N 

ANSWER 

T  O 

An   Anathema  or   Paper  of 

Excommunicaiion,  of  yoAn^iK^/^  ca- 
tirulcd,  Points  of  DoSrinf  preaihedC" 
itjfertedh/  Willwm  Davis. 

Wherein  the  Myftry  of  Chritt-sDcfcen- 

tion.  Incarnation   and    Crucifixion    h 

Unfolded. 


By     William   Dxvts, 


[Printed  by  Reynier  Jansen.    Philadelphia.  1700.] 


4  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

In  1702,  George  Keith,  who  had  returned  to  England 
some  time  before,  again  came  back  to  Philadelphia  as  a  full- 
fledged  priest  of  the  Church  of  England,  whose  "Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,"  but  lately 
organised  in  London,  had  sent  him  as  a  missionary  to  the 
New  World. 

His  return  was  the  signal  for  a  fierce  struggle  between 
Keith  and  Evan  Evans  on  the  one  hand :  and  on  the  other, 
Thomas  Killingworth,  who  besides  being  the  ablest  Baptist 
clergyman  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  was  also  jvidge  of 
the  court  at  Salem,  New  Jersey ;  and  William  Davis,  the  pastor 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Pennepek,  who 
strangely  enough  now  united  in  common  defence. 

William  Davis  published  another  edition  of  his  book,  with 
a  supplement  entitled  ''George  Keith  Disabled." 

Keith  was  now  challenged  by  Killingworth  to  a  joint 
debate  in  public,  which  resulted  in  a  drawn  battle. 

Evan  Evans,  who  was  a  former  enemy  of  William  Davis, 
made  war  upon  him  with  such  success  that  Thomas  Graves 
again  joined  the  Episcopalian  Church,  and  deeded  to  that 
church  the  lot  on  which  stood  the  meeting  house  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptists,  who  had  never  had  a  deed  for  the  lot.  Deprived 
of  their  house  of  worship  the  church  continued  to  hold 
meetings  in  the  hovises  of  the  members,  but  they  were  badly 
demoralised  and  disheartened  by  their  reverses,  and  little 
progress  was  made. 

In  1706,  William  Davis  applied  for  membership  in  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  but 
complaint  from  his  Pennsylvania  brethren  preceded  him,  and 
his  request  was  denied.  The  cause  of  his  difference  with  his 
fellow  church  members  was  due  to  his  eccentric  ecclesiastical 
views,  similar  in  a  measure  to  his  views  already  cited  touch- 
ing the  person  of  Christ,  and  which,  however  real  and  funda- 
mental they  appeared  to  him,  were  in  their  last  analysis,  nothing 
more  than  mere  differences  in  the  definitions  of  terms. 

On  October  12,  17 10,  William  Davis  and  Elisabeth 
Brisley,  his  wife,  applied  for  membership  in  the  Westerly, 
afterward  the  First  Hopkinton  (Rhode  Island)  Church, 
which  had  been  organised  some  two    years    previously.     His 


WILLIAM  DAVIS  OF  IV ALES  5 

wife  was  immediately  received  into  membership,  but  the 
church  deferred  final  action  upon  his  application. 

At  a  church  meeting  held  June  22,  171 1,  the  Westerly 
Church  decided  that  William  Davis  had  complied  with 
"the  rule  of  Christ,"  and  was  therefore  eligible  to  membership 
in  that  church.  In  order,  however,  to  satisfy  a  group  of 
doubting  members,  the  church  presented  the  case  to  the  Yearly 
Meeting,  at  Westerly,  July  14,  171 1.  The  Yearly  Meeting  ap- 
proved the  action  of  the  church,  and  William  Davis  became  a 
member  of  the  Westerly  Church,  in  full  and  regular  standing. 

This  action,  however,  involved  the  Westerly  Church  in  an 
embroilment  with  Rev.  William  Gibson,  of  the  Newport 
Church,  together  with  Jonathan  Davis  and  the  brethren  in 
Pennsylvania,  which  was  prolonged  until  as  late  as  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  17 13. 

William  Davis  was  invited  by  the  Westerly  Church  to 
preach,  and  in  the  first  part  of  the  year  1713  was  authorised 
by  the  church  to  administer  the  ordinance  of  baptism. 

On  March  i,  1714,  William  Davis  requested  a  letter 
of  recommendation  from  the  church,  in  order  that  he  might 
join  one  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in  England, 
whither  he  expected  to  remove.  The  church  granted  his  re- 
quest. His  friends,  however,  were  anxious  to  prevent  his  go- 
ing, and  circulated  a  subscription  to  raise  money  to  compen- 
sate him  for  whatever  financial  loss  he  might  sustain  in  aban- 
doning his  contemplated  removal  to  England,  the  object  of 
which  was  to  claim  his  share  in  a  large  estate  left  him  by  the 
death  of  his  father,  in  Wales.  He  persisted,  however,  to  the 
point  of  going  to  Newport,  ready  to  embark  upon  his  voyage. 
At  the  last  moment,  he  consented  to  remain ;  whereupon  num- 
berless troubles  ensued,  some  of  which  found  their  way  into 
the  courts.  These  difficulties  grew,  almost  if  not  quite  wholly, 
out  of  the  subscriptions  made  to  induce  William  Davis  to  re- 
main in  America.  The  troubles  resulted  in  correspondence  on 
the  part  of  the  Westerly  Church,  with  the  churches  in 
Newport  (Rhode  Island),  and  in  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
and  London. 

Some  time  during  the  year  17 16,  after  an  inefifectual 
attempt  at  reconciliation,  the  church  withdrew  its  communion 
from  William  Davis,  with  but  four  dissenting  votes.     He  now 


6  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

decided  to  leave  Westerly,  and  under  date  of  May  i6,  171 7, 
he  received  a  letter  signed  by  twenty-three  of  his  neighbours, 
testifying  to  his  Christian  character,  and  exonerating  him  from 
blame  in  his  litigation  and  church  troubles.  This  letter  became 
the  subject  of  some  spirited  correspondence  after  William 
Davis  had  removed  to  Pennsylvania. 

After  his  removal  from  Westerly  back  to  Pennsylvania, 
he  suffered  a  severe  loss  from  fire  about  the  year  1724.  This 
loss,  Governor  Keith,  of  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania,  ordered 
made  good ;  but  through  the  secret  interference  of  some 
enemies  of  William  Davis  at  Westerly,  the  order  was  not 
carried  out. 

The  whole  matter  was  now  dropped,  apparently,  for  a 
period  of  twelve  years,  when  we  find  William  Davis  again 
making  his  home  within  the  bounds  of  the  Westerly 
Church,  in  Rhode  Island.  Under  date  of  October  21, 
1734,  from  his  home  in  Stonington,  Connecticut,  he  wrote 
a  letter  of  confession  to  the  church,  praying  for  a 
reconciliation.  To  this  letter,  the  church  replied,  under 
date  of  November  19,  1734,  desiring  explanation  upon 
several  points  named  in  the  letter  written  by  the  church  to  Wil- 
liam Davis.  Under  date  of  December  16,  1734,  he  replied  to 
the  communication  from  the  church,  whereupon  he  was 
requested  to  attend  the  next  church  meeting.  There  is  no  rec- 
ord of  his  restoration  to  membership  in  the  Westerly  Church, 
further  than  that  his  name  appears  as  that  of  a  regular  attend- 
ant at  church.  Nevertheless,  the  reconciliation  was  undoubt- 
edly effected,  greatly  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  parties  concern- 
ed, and  to  none,  doubtless,  more  than  to  William  Davis  himself. 

William  Davis  was  married  twice.  His  first  wife  was 
Elisabeth  P>risley.  By  her  he  had  four  children  ;  z'i::.,  Martha, 
William,  John,  and  Mary.  His  second  wife  was  Elisabeth 
Pavior.  By  her  he  had  seven  children ;  vi::.,  Thomas,  Joseph, 
Lydia,  Edward,  James,  Elisabeth,  and  William, — the  William 
by  his  first  wife  having  died. 

Soon  after  the  year  1740,  a  settlement  of  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  was  formed  in  Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey,  near 
the  Alanasquan  River.  Perhaps  one  of  the  first  of  this  group 
of  settlers  was  Joseph  Maxson,  from  Stonington,  Connecticut. 


WILLIAM  DAVIS  OF  WALES  7 

He  sailed  from  Stonington  for  the  mouth  of  the  Manasquan 
River,  in  the  fall  of  1742.  His  vessel  was  caught  in  the  ice 
in  Long  Island  Sound,  and  he  did  not  reach  his  destination 
until  the  following  spring. 

In  the  fall  of  1744,  a  party  of  German  Sabbath-keepers, 
consisting  of  Israel  Eckerling,  Samuel  Eckerling,  Alexander 
Mack,  and  Rev.  Peter  Miller,  from  Ephrata,  Pennsylvania, 
visited  their  English-speaking,  Sabbath-keeping  brethren  in 
Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey.  They  reported  that  they 
found  there  several  Sabbath-keepers,  who  had  come  to  that 
place  a  few  years  before,  from  Stonington,  Connecticut,  and 
from  Westerly,  Rhode  Island.  There  were  also  several  mem- 
bers of  William  Davis's  family  from  Pennsylvania.  They 
found  fifteen  adults  in  this  group  of  settlers. 

Whether  William  Davis  himself  had  come  to  Monmouth 
County,  New  Jersey,  at  the  time  of  the  visit  of  this  delegation 
from  Ephrata,  Pennsylvania,  or  not,  we  have  no  conclusive 
evidence.  At  all  events,  he  had  come  when  the  group 
organised  itself  into  a  church,  at  a  date  not  later  than  1745. 

William  Davis,  however,  had  come  to  his  new  home  in 
New  Jersey,  but  to  die  among  his  children,  a  large  number,  if 
not  nearly  all,  of  whom  had  settled  here.  His  death  occurred  be- 
fore the  close  of  the  year  1745,  when  he  was  eighty-two  years 
of  age.  His  life  was  a  tempestuous  one.  Its  close  was  peace- 
ful and  uneventful,  however.  But  his  works  ceased  not  with 
his  death.  He  may  fairly  be  termed  the  father  of  the  Shrews- 
bury Church ;  whence  his  followers  and  descendants  scattered 
to  the  Piscataway  and  Shiloh  churches  in  New  Jer- 
sey, and  crowded  into  the  wilderness  of  Western  Virginia,  and 
into  Ohio,  and  afterwards  still  further  westward  across  the 
Rocky  ^Mountains  to  the  Pacific  Slope. 

Seventh  Day  Baptist  descendants  of  \\"illiam  Davis  may 
be  found  to-day  in  the  states  of  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  Kansas, 
Arkansas,  California,  and  in  all  probability,  in  other  states  as 
well.^  The  churches  of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Salemville  Church,  at  Salemville,  Pennsylvania, 


I.  A  biographical  sketch  of  William  Davis,  in  which  he  is  characterised  as  an 
"evangelist,"  may  be  found  in  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial.  Vol.  II,  pp. 
loi   et  seq. 


8  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

are  composed  very  largely  of  the  descendants  of  William 
Davis ;  and  upon  the  roll  of  his  posterity  are  to  be  found  the 
names  of  upwards  of  twenty-five  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
clergymen. 

Descendants  of  William  Davis  have  held  positions  of 
honour  and  trust  in  almost  every  walk  of  life,  public  and 
private,  business  and  professional,  in  war  and  peace. 


II. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH. 


UST  what    attracted    these    Seventh 


Day  Baptists,  who  settled  in  Mon- 
mouth County,  to  New  Jersey,  is 
uncertain.  Some  of  their  number 
were  shipbuilders,  and  found  occu- 
pation in  that  business.     Tradition 

f^^^^^^^^'^Wa'^'  tr-v5i'i     ^^^  ^^  ^^^^^  there    was    a    Seventh 
^r*^v<^^-v-2^^.x,^.^|r^     Day  Baptist  shipbuilders'    yard   on 

the  banks  of  the  Manasquan  River, 
owned  by  the  Maxsons.  Others 
appear  to  have  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  salt,  a  business 
which  thrived  at  the  mouth  of  the  Manasquan  and  up  the 
coast  as  far  as  the  mouth  of  the  Shark  River.  Still  others 
engaged  in  farming,  and  possibly  some  were  sailors,  owning 
their  own  boats,  and  carrying  salt,  garden  vegetables,  and  farm 
products  to  New  York  City. 

The  first  settlements  were  at  the  mouths  of  the  Manas- 
quan and  Shark  rivers,  respectively.  Gradually,  they  extend- 
ed inward  from  the  shore,  until  they  reached  as  far  as  Squan- 
kum,  and  Lower  Squankum,  south  of  the  Manasquan  River. 
From  there  they  extended  northward  as  far  as  Deal,  which 
was  situated  between  the  present  seaside  resorts  of  Long 
Branch  and  Elberon.  At  a  somewhat  later  date,  there  was  a 
settlement  at  Clay  Pit  Creek,  an  arm  of  the  Navesink,  or 
North  Shrewsbury  River,  near  the  present  village  of  Navesink. 
Clay  Pit  Creek  then,  as  now,  was  in  the  town  of  Middletown. 
The  other  Seventh  Day  Baptist  settlements  were  all  at  that 
time  in  the  town  of  Shrewsbury.  That  part  of  Alonmouth 
County  is  now  embraced  in  the  towns  of  Wall,  Howell,  Nep- 


lo  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

tune,  and  Ocean,  besides  the  lower  part  of  the  present  town 
of  Shrewsbury. 

It  may  be  observed  in  passing,  that  at  the  time  of  which 
we  write,  Monmouth  County  embraced  the  whole  of  the 
present  counties  of  Ocean  and  Monmouth,  and  that  then  the 
entire  county  was  divided  into  the  two  towns  of  Shrewsbury 
and  Middletown.  The  present  county  of  Monmouth  contains 
sixteen  towns,  and  Ocean  County,  eleven. 

A  little  less  than  four  miles  from  the  ocean,  on  the  banks 
of  a  little  brook,  which  in  dry  weather  contains  no  running 
water,  a  group  of  these  people  built  a  little  village,  which,  for 
the  lack  of  a  better  name,  we  shall  call  Squan.^  In  fact  there 
is  some  evidence  that  Squan  was  the  name  by  which  the 
village  was  actually  known,  although  it  was  full  two  and  a 
half  miles  from  the  Squan  River  (contracted  from  Mana- 
sqiiaii  to  Squan  in  much  the  same  way  that  the  cacophonous 
contraction,  'phone  is  obtained  from  telephone). - 

The  little  brook  on  which  was  situated  the  village  of 
Squan,  was  known  as  the  South  Branch  of  Little  Brushy 
Neck  (now  Cranberry  Bog),  which  in  turn,  forms  what  was 
known  then,  as  now,  as  the  Great  Branch.  The  Great  Branch, 
in  its  turn,  empties  into  what  is  now  called  Wreck  Pond, 
which  opens  into  the  sea  through  Sea  Girt  inlet,  a  little  more 
than  half  way  from  the  mouth  of  the  Shark  River  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Manasquan  River. 

Great  Branch  is  very  similar  to  a  number  of  other 
"branches"  along  the  coast  near  by,  among  which  are  Long 
Branch  and  Branchport  Creek.  Some  six  or  eight  miles 
north  of  the  mouth  of  Great  Branch,  are  the  well  known 
seaside  summer  resorts  of  Asbury  Park  and  Ocean  Grove. 

The  book  of  records  of  the  Shrewsbury  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church,  situated  at  the  village  of  Squan,  begins  as 
follows : 

"This  is  a  book  of  records  of  the  settlement  and  proceedings  of  the 
Church  of  Christ,  keeping  the  commandments  of  God,  particularly  the 
Holy  Seventh  Day,  with  the  rest  of  the  commandments  of  God,  and 
believing  and  practising  the  Holy  Ordinances  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ 

1.  Squan  has  been  incorrectly  written  Squam,  by  nearly  every  writer  of  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  history  for  more  than  half  a  century.  The  editors  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Memorial  wrote  it  Squam. 

2.  Manasquan  is  an  Indian  name  meaning  Squaw-Toiun;  literally,  an  island  with 
an  inclosure  for  squaws. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


II 


mm  BURY 


12  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

and  the  Doctrines  thereof,  inhabiting  at  Manasquan,  Shark  River,  and 
places  adjacent,  in  Shrewsbury,  in  the  Province  of  East  New  Jersey,  &c. 
"These  first  members  came  from  Stonington  in  New  England. 
This  is  a  list  of  their  names  that  came  and  settled  as  a  church : 

"William  Davis,  an  aged  minister  of  the  gospel,  and  formerly  an 
an  elder  of  a  church  of  Christ  in  Pennsylvania,  but  sometime  since 
from  Stonington,  aforesaid, 

"Joseph  Maxson,  a  ministering  brother  in  the  church  aforesaid, 

"John  Davis,  a  ministering  brother  in  said  church, 

"Thomas  Babcock,  a  member, 

"Thomas  Davis,  a  member, 

"William  Brand,  Junr.,  a  member,  and 

"Joseph  Davis,  a  member. 

"These  are  the  brethren,  there,  and  the  sisters  were 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  wife  of  William  Davis,  the  Elder, 

"Bethiah   Maxson,  Joseph  Maxson's  wife, 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  John  Davis's  wife, 

"Ruth  Babcock,  Thomas  Babcock's  wife, 

"Bethiah  Davis,  Thomas  Davis's  wife, 

"Elisabeth  Brand, 

"Mary  Stillman, 

"Judith  Davis,  wife  of  James  Davis, 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  Junr.,  alias  Maxson. 

"These  are  the  sisters. 

"These  persons,  with  others,  have  from  their  first  settling  in  this 
place,  endeavoured  to  uphold  the  public  worship  of  God  at  appointed 
places  on  the  Sabbath  Day,  with  the  help  of  the  ministering  brethren 
amongst  them,  by  joining  in  prayer,  reading  the  Scriptures,  preaching, 
and  expounding  the  Word  of  God,  one  to  another. 

"The  persons  above  named,  being  in  the  above  noted  circumstances, 
there  had  been  discourse  at  some  times  of  the  need  of  choosing  and 
appointing  persons  to  the  work  of  the  public  ministry  amongst  them, 
that  they  might  be  capable  of  administering  the  holy  ordinances 
amongst  themselves  and  to  such  as  may  be  found  willing  to  join  them- 
selves to  the  Lord,  considering  it  to  be  their  duty  so  to  do. 

"In  October  the  eighth  [sic]  month,  1745,  Elisabeth  Davis,  widow, 
went  to  sojourn  with  her  son  Joseph  in  Pennsylvania,  and  Thomas 
Davis  and  his  family  went  thither  also  in  March  following,  in  1746." 

It  will  be  observed  from  the  foregoing,  that  the  exact  date 
of  the  organisation  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church  is  unknown. 
Certain  it  is,  however,  that  it  was  organised  long  before  the 
end  of  the  year  1745,  for  we  find  William  Davis,  whom,  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  we  have  styled  the  father  of  the  church, 
and  who  was  one  of  its  constituent  members,  had  died  before 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


13 


ATLKNTIC  OCEAN 


14  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

the  close  of  that  year.     1745  is  generally  accepted,  however,  as 
the  year  of  the  organisation  of  the  church. 

The  following  letter  written  by  the  Shrewsbury 
Church  to  the  church  at  Westerly,  Rhode  Island,  perhaps  at  the 
time  of  the  Yearly  Meeting,  is  of  interest  at  this  point.  It  is 
noteworthy  because  of  certain  details  of  information  it  contains 
concerning  their  settlement  at  Shrewsbury,  their  health,  fast- 
ing, and  the  doctrine  of  feet-washing.     It  reads  as  follows : — 

Shrewsbury,  1750. 

"The  Scattered  Remnant  of  the  little  flock  of  Jesus  Christ,  living 
at  Squan,  Squankum,  Deal,  etc.,  in  Shrewsbury,  and  at  Middletown,  all 
in.  the  Province  of  East  New  Jersey;  keeping  the  Commandments  of 
God,  particularly  that  of  his  holy  Seventh  Day  Sabbath ;  and  believing 
and  practising  the  faith  and  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  to 
our  well  beloved  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  same  faith  and 
practise,  the  church  of  Christ  in  Westerly  and  places  adjacent,  in  the 
Colony  of  Rhode  Island  in  New  England,  Sendeth  Christian  Salutation : 
wishing  that  you  may  grow  in  grace  and  increase  in  all  spiritual 
wisdom  and  understanding;  that  you  may  walk  worthy  of  your  high 
calling,  and  be  able  to  bear  a  faithful  testimony  to  the  truth ;  that  you 
may  increase  daily,  both  in  members  and  graces ;  that  you  may  be 
steadfast  and  immovable, — always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord ; 
that  you  may  continue  faithful  unto  death,  and,  at  last,  receive  a  Crown 
of  eternal  glory  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  who 
hath  loved  us  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own  blood ;  to  whom, 
with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  be  Glory  and  Dominion,  now  and 
ever.  Amen. 
"Dearly  Beloved: 

"Although  Divine  Providence  hath  set  our  habitation  at  so  far  a 
distance,  one  from  another,  and  we  have  so  long  neglected  this  Chris- 
tian duty  of  Christian  commerce,  one  with  another,  by  writing;  yet  we 
are  willing,  we  hope,  to  revive  this  beneficial  work,  and  we  desire  that 
you  may  join  with  us  herein  for  the  future,  to  improve  all  suitable 
opportunities  to  send  one  another  some  lines,  that  we  may  know  each 
other's  state,  and  encourage  one  another  in  our  Christian  race ;  and, 
in  order  to  it,  we  shall  in  this  give  you  a  brief  account  of  our  present 
state. 

"When  Divine  Providence  had  sent  us  into  this  remote  place  we 
found  our  disadvantage  for  want  of  Gospel  ministers  from  among  us; 
and  we  had  made  choice  of,  and  sent  to  you,  and  obtained  our  request 
in  the  ordination  of  our  beloved  brother  John  Davis  to  be  our  Elder 
(for  which  we  return  God  and  you  thanks)  :  we  speedily  endeavoured 
to  embody  ourselves  into  a  church  state,  and  have  endeavoured  to 
maintain  the  public  worship  of  God,  upon  his  holy  Sabbath;  and 
according  to  our  ability  and  opportunity,  to  practise  the  ordinances  of 
the  Gospel ;  and  by  the  grace  of  God  continue  it  hitherto. 


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THE  SHREJVSBURY  CHURCH 


15 


"It  hath  pleased  the  sovereign  Lord  to  remove  some  of  our  dear 
brethren  and  sisters  by  death,  and  to  receive  them  to  himself:  may  he 
give  us  all  that  grace  to  follow  them  in  his  time. 

"There  is  about  four  or  five  families  whose  habitations  are  so  near 
that  we  may  and  do  endeavour  to  meet  constantly  on  the  Sabbath  (may 
the  Lord  grant  it  may  be  to  worship  God  in  truth)  and  for  the  rest, 
though  they  are  scattered  more  remote,  yet  we  visit  one  another  as 
often  as  we  conveniently  may,  and  join  together  in  the  duties  of  the 
Gospel. 

"It  hath  pleased  God,  by  his  providence  and  grace  we  hope,  to  add 
seven  to  our  number;  may  his  grace  go  on  to  make  the  means  effectual 
to  add  many  more  in  his  own  time. 

"And  now,  dear  brethren,  we  shall  use  the  freedom  to  acquaint  you 
with  one  thing,  and  do  heartily  desire  to  recommend  it  to  your  serious 
and  Christian  consideration,  and  that  is  about  the  duty  of  washing 
one  another's  feet.^ 

"This  is  a  duty  and  work  which  some  of  us  have  been  long 
thoughtful  and  in  part  persuaded  of,  even  many  years  before  our 
departing  from  you ;  but  within  the  space  of  some  years  past,  we  have 
conferred  and  considered  more  thoroughly  about  it,  and  are  fully 
persuaded  that  it  is  our  duty;  and  have  concluded  to  and  have  put  it 
in  practise  some  time  since,  in  the  following  manner;  vis.,  At  the  end 
of  the  Lord's  supper,  and  before  we  sing  an  hymn  and  go  out,  the 
Elder,  in  imitation  of  the  Lord,  takes  a  towel  and  girds  himself;  then 
he  pours  water  in  a  basin  and  begins  to  wash  the  disciples'  {vis.)  the 
brethren's  feet,  and  from  him  thej"^  take  it,  and  the  brethren  to  the 
brethren,  and  the  sisters  to  the  sisters,  they  wash  one  another's  feet 
through  the  present  assembly. 

And  so  dear  brethren,  we  have  plainly  and  simply  given  you  our 
thoughts  and  practise  in  this  matter  in  brief,  and  desire  you  to  consider 


I.  The  practise  of  feet-washing  was  continued  by  this  church  after  its  re- 
moval to  Virginia,  but  was  probably  abandoned  at  some  time  during  the  first 
half  of  the  nineteenth  century.  The  custom  was  revived  afterwards,  however,  by 
other  churches  in  West  Virginia.  The  Middle  Island  Church  adopted  it  about 
1870.  The  Ritchie  Church,  and  probably  the  Conings  church  also,  practised  it  for 
a  short  time.  But  it  was  not  looked  upon  with  favour,  and  it  soon  fell  into  disuse 
again.  An  incident  which  occurred  about  the  time  of  this  revival  of  feet-washing, 
serves  to  show  another  interpretation  of  the  significance  of  the  example  of  Jesus 
in  washing  His  disciples'  feet.  It  is  as  follows:  The  pastor  of  one  of  the  New 
Jersey  churches,  on  one  of  his  visits  to  West  Virginia,  was  entertained  for  a 
short  time  at  the  hospitable  home  of  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  New  Salem  Church. 
His  saintly,  and  now  sainted,  hostess  asked  him  for  his  shoes  to  polish,  and  when 
he  hesitated,  she  said,  "I  think  that  is  what  Jesus  meant  by  his  example  in  washing 
his  disciples'  feet,  as  applied  to  our  conditions  of  life  to-day."  She  got  the  shoes 
to  polish.  Clarke  says:  "Some  of  these  [western  Virginia]  churches,  believe  in 
the  washing  one  another's  feet,  at  appointed  times,  &c.  But  as  the  Sabbath  and 
Baptism  are  their  distinguishing  tenets,  of  which  I  shall  say  more  in  its  proper 
place,  if  the  Lord  will,  it  is  needless  to  be  more  particular  as  to  their  doctrines; 
for  those  smaller  matters  are  left  to  each  one's  conscience,  and  do  not  affect 
Christian  charity  or  fellowship,  in  case  they  do  not  break  one  of  the  least  of 
those  Ten  solemn  Precepts,  and  teach  men  so,  &c."  History  of  the  Sabbatarians, 
p.    64. 


1 6  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

it,  and,  when  you  are  come  to  a  result  about  it,  give  us  your  thoughts 
about  it ;  and,  if  we  are  mistaken  or  out  of  the  way,  shew  us  wherein ; 
and  if  not,  let  us  all  shew  that  we  are  the  friends  of  Christ  by  doing 
all  that  he  commands  us. 

Our  beloved  brother  and  sister,  John  and  Elisabeth  Davis,  are 
designed  to  come  and  visit  you,  who,  we  trust  will  be  our  messengers, 
with  our  brother  Joseph  Stillman,  to  convey  this  to  you ;  may  God 
preserve  and  succeed  them  in  their  journey  and  affairs,  and  make  their 
company  and  conversation  a  blessing,  to  your  and  their  spiritual  good, 
and  send  them  safe  to  us  again  in  due  time. 

"Dear  Brethren,  pray  for  us,  that  we  may  be  preserved  from  all 
evil,  but  especially  from  sin ;  that  we  maj^  be  led  into  all  truth  and  made 
faithful  in  every  duty  and  continue  steadfast  to  the  end  of  our  race, 
and  at  last  obtain  salvation  through  Jesus  Christ,  our  Lord,  to  whom 
be  glory  forever.     Amen. 

"And  so,  we  commit  you  to  God  and  to  the  word  of  his  grace,  who 
is  able  to  build  you  up  and  to  give  you  an  inheritance  among  them  that 
are  sanctified,  and  subscribe  ourselves  your  brethren  and  sisters  in  the 
best  bonds,  ....  from  our  Sabbath  meeting  at  Squan,  the  8th  of  the 
seventh  month,  1750. 

Elisabeth  Brand^  Thomas  B.\bcock, 

Comfort  Davis^  William  Brand, 

Judith  Maxson,  William  Davis, 

Tacy  Maxson,  Simeon  Maxson, 

Joseph   Davis, 
MosHER  IMaxson. 

"P.  S.  As  to  the  Scriptures  and  reasons  and  motives  for,  and 
objections  against,  washing  of  feet,  we  would  add  in  brief  what  follows: 

"First.  The  Scriptures: — John  the  13th  [chapter]  to  the  end  of 
the  17th  verse;  Matthew  the  28th  [chapter]  and  the  20th  verse;  John 
the  15th  [chapter]  and  14th  verse;  ist  of  Peter  2d  and  21st  verse;  ist 
of  Timothy  5th  and  loth  verse. 

"Secondly.  The  Reason :  ist.  The  command  of  Christ,  John  13th 
and  the  15th.  Ye  ought  to  wash,  etc.  2d.  The  example  of  Christ, 
John  13th  and  the  15th.  I  have  given  you  an  example,  etc.  3dly.  The 
signification:  (First)  Cleansing  from  sin,  John  13th  and  8th,  if  I  wash 
thee  not,  etc.  (Secondly).  Humility  and  readiness  to  do  the  lowest 
for  each  other's  good,  John  13 :  13th  and  14th  verses,  etc. 

"Thirdly.  The  Motive:  (First)  To  keep  in  view  [?]  and  rep- 
resent to  our  faith  our  cleansing  from  sin  by  Christ,  John  13:  8;  this 
was  first  represented  in  baptism,  but  afterwards  commemorated  in 
washing  of  feet.  (Secondly).  The  encouragement  of  Christ,  John  13, 
verse.     Happy  are  ye,  etc. 

"Fourthly  and  lastly.     The  objections  against  it : 

"First  objection, — There  is  but  one  evidence.  Answer: — This 
reflects  on  the  veracity  of  the  Spirit,  and  doubts  the  truth  of  the  Word. 

"Second    objection, — It's    a    particular    command     to    the     twelve 

(i) 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


17 


apostles.  Answer: — Pray  read,  Matt.  28:  19,  and  compare  it  with  this, 
etc. 

"Third  objection, — We  don't  know  how  it  should  be  performed, 
whether  by  the  Elder  to  the  rest,  or  by  each  other.  Answer : — The 
direction  seems  plain,  one  another's  feet,  John  13 :  14,  etc. 

"Fourth    objection, —  [?]     be   not    proper    administrators. 

Answer: — See  the  qualifications  of  the  worthy  widow,  i  Tim.  5:  10,  etc. 

"Dear  Brethren : — Bear  with  us  since  we  pretend  not  to  instruct 
you,  but  to  submit  these  things  to  your — [?].  Pray,  consider  them 
with  candour,  humility,  and  love :  and  the  Lord  give  you  understanding. 

"Our  brother  William  Brand  hath  had  a  long  and  sore  visitation 
with  the  Distemper,  called  the  hip-gout,  and  seemed  long  near  the  grave. 
He  desired  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  on  his  account  which  was 
attended.  The  Lord  was  pleased  to  grant  our  request,  so  as  to  raise 
him  again  so  that  he  goes  about  and  does  his  business.  We  are  at 
present  generally  in  health,  save  that  some  have  the  fever  and  ague. 
We  remain,  several  of  us,  yet  unsettled  in  our  outward  affairs,  though 
some  of  our  friends;  vis.,  them  at  Middletown,  have  bought  some  land, 
and  our  brother  John  Davis  is  about  to  buy  at  Squankum,  but  hath  not 
yet  bargained.  May  the  good  Lord  direct  us  in  this  matter  as  may  be 
most  for  his  and  our  spiritual  good,  etc." 

At  best,  records  for  this  period  are  very  meagre.  The 
record  book  itself,  six  and  a  half  inches  in  width,  by 
eight  inches  in  length,  and  less  than  an  inch  in  thickness,  is 
bound  in  pigskin,  with  its  front  edges  fastened  together  at 
either  end  by  means  of  deerskin  strings  in  place  of  clasps,  after 
a  fashion  common  for  more  than  a  hundred  years  previous  to 
that  time,  for  certain  kinds  of  bindings.  This  book  was  pre- 
sented to  the  church,  December  26,  1752,  more  than  seven 
years  after  the  organisation  of  the  church.  It  is  clear  that  the 
scant  records  up  to  that  date,  comprising  less  than  six  pages 
of  the  book,  are  lacking  in  very  many  details.. 

The  record  book  was  presented  to  the  church  by  John 
Davis,  who  "was  allowed  for  it  out  of  the  public  stock  to  his 
satisfaction,"  and  who  probably  entered  the  records  up  to  the 
date  of  the  meeting  at  which  he  presented  the  book  to  the 
church. 

But  now  although  the  church  had  a  record  book,  very  few 
entries  were  made  until  the  year  1774,  a  period  of  twenty-two 
years  after  the  record  book  was  provided.  The  entries  made 
during  this  period  cover  less  than  three  pages  of  the  book  of 
records. 

But  these  three  pages  inform  us  of  the  return  of  Mosher 


1 8  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Maxson  and  his  family  from  Middletown,  and  their  settHng 
at  Manasquan ;  of  the  return  of  Joseph  StiUman  and  his  family 
to  New  England,  and  that  they  took  with  them  letters  recom- 
mending them  to  membership  in  the  Westerly  Church;  of  the 
death  of  John  Davis ;  and  of  several  accessions  to  the  church, 
as  well  as  of  efiforts  to  reclaim  those  who  had  broken  their 
covenant  vows. 

These  last  entries  made,  ten  long  years  of  silence  elapse. 
Then  on  January  2,  1774,  the  church  met  "to  reconcile 
differences  between  brethren  and  sisters,"  and  to  labour  with 
those  who  had  strayed  from  the  fold  of  the  church. 

The  work  of  reconciliation  was  difficult  and  slow.  Some 
were  obstinate,  and  others  were  defiant.  Accordingly,  after 
carefully  considering  whether,  although  the  church  had  the 
right  to  excommunicate  the  recalcitrants  at  once,  it  might  not 
be  the  part  of  wisdom  to  wait  awhile  before  taking  such  drastic 
measures,  it  was  finally  decided  that  patience  had  already 
ceased  to  be  a  virtue  in  at  least  one  case,  that  of  Simeon  Max- 
son,  and  the  church  decided  "to  debar  him  from  having  any 
privilege  to  this  church,  till  God  of  His  infinite  mercy  brings 
him  to  the  truth  of  Jesus  Christ,  agreeable  to  His  Holy  Word." 

In  the  meantime.  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  of  Piscataway, 
Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman  of  Cohansey  (Shiloh),  and  possibly 
Rev.  John  Davis  of  Trenton,  had  been  visiting  this  church. 
Jacob  Davis,  the  son  of  James  Davis,  had  been  baptized  and 
received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham,  in  the 
year  1772,  and  had  been  licenced  by  the  church  to  preach.  On 
the  19th  of  June,  1774,  the  church  gave  Jacob  Davis  a  formal 
call  to  the  Gospel  ministry.  On  the  following  Christmas  day, 
the  church  took  definite  steps  to  have  him  ordained,  or  solemnly 
set  apart  to  that  office. 

Soon  afterward,  probably  February  27,  1775,  the  ordina- 
tion service  took  place  at  the  home  of  Thomas  Babcock,  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman. 
The  formal  pledge  of  the  church  to  support  its  new  pastor,  the 
acceptance  of  the  call  by  Jacob  Davis,  and  the  charge  to  the 
candidate,  were  as  follows : 

To  the  church : — 

"If  it  [be]   your  own  free  and  voluntary  choice  to  require  Jacob 
Davis  to  be  your  minister  to  take  the  charge  and  over-sight  of  you  as 


UUICINAL    RECORD    BOOK    OF    THE    SHREWSBURY    AND    THE    NEW 
SALEM    CHURCHES. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  19 

you  profess  to  be  the  flock  of  God,  and  he  a  shepherd  under  Christ, 
do  you  find  a  hearty  freedom  in  your  minds  to  receive  [him]  to  be  your 
Elder,  Pastor,  and  Teacher,  to  rule  and  govern  you  according  to  the 
Word  of  God? 

"Do  you  promise  and  engage  to  him  all  the  duties  of  a  people  to 
their  minister  according  to  the  Word  of  God,  such  as  respect,  honour, 
and  reasonable  maintenance  as  far  as  necessary  to  enable  him  to  dis- 
charge the  trust  committed  to  him  ? 

"Is  it  your  desire  to  endeavour  to  strengthen  his  hands  and  en- 
courage his  heart  by  your  prayers  for  him,  and  consolatory  discourse 
with  him,  as  occasion  may  require  with  a  due  respect  and  regard  to  his 
correcture,  office,  and  interest? 

"Do  you  look  on  yourselves  [as]  bound  by  the  nature  of  this  en- 
gagement as  far  as  you  are  able  [to  supply  him  with]  such  conveniences 
respecting  his  living  as  he  may  stand  in  need  of  to  make  him  profitable 
to  yourselves,  and  comfortable  to  himself? 

"Which  was  consented  to  by  the  holding  up  of  the  hands." 

To  tlie  candidate : — 

"And  does  the  brother,  Jacob  Davis,  heartily  and  freely  accept  the 
request  of  this  church? 

"Do  you  reserve  [sici  them  as  the  flock  of  God,  as  persons  com- 
mitted to  your  care  and  inspection? 

"Do  you  feel  love,  and  Christian  love  [such]  as  ought  to  be  in  a 
spiritual  shepherd  towards  his  flock  ? 

"Do  you  look  on  yourself  under  this  obligation,  according  to  the 
nature  of  this  engagement  to  answer  all  their  religious  requests  as  far 
as  your  ability  will  admit? 

"Have  you  entire  freedom  to  administer  the  ordinances  of  God  to 
them  as  to  a  church  of  God;  to  pray  with  them  and  for  them  and 
endeavour  to  build  them  up  in  the  faith? 

"Is  it  your  desire  and  prayer  from  this  time  forward,  as  far  as 
God  shall  enable  you,  to  be  exemplary  to  them  in  life  and  doctrine 
according  to  the  word  of  God? 

"Do  you  now  give  up  yourself  to  the  Lord  and  to  them,  by  the  will 
of  God  to  be  their  pastor  and  teacher? 

"If  so,  lift  up  your  [hand]." 

The  substance  of  the  charge  given  to  Jacob  Davis  was  as 
follows : — 

"Brother  Davis,  I  charge  thee  before  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  that  thou  take  charge  of  the  church  of  Christ  dwelling  at 
Shrewsbury,  preach  the  Word  in  and  amongst  them,  be  instant  in  sea- 
son and  out  of  season,  administer  the  holy  ordinances  amongst  them, 
exhort  and  rebuke  with  all  long  suffering  and  patience,  with  meekness 
and  humility  of  mind,  as  thou  shalt  answer  the  same  when  thou  shalt 
give  up  thy  account  to  God  at  his  appearance  and  kingdom." 


20  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

In  June,  1774,  the  church  adopted  the  following  articles 
of  faith  and  practise,  and  covenant : — 

"The  Church  of  Christ  in  Shrewsbury  and  Middletown  in  the  ob- 
servation of  God's  Holy  Sanctified  Sabbath.     First  agreed  to,  the 

[day]  of  the  sixth  month,  1774. 

"We  who  desire  to  walk  together  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  do 
through  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  profess  our  deep  and  serious 
humiliation  for  our  transgressions,  and  we  do  also  solemnly  in  the 
presence  of  God  and  of  each  other,  in  the  sense  of  our  own  unworthi- 
ness,  give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord. 

"ist.  We  believe  that  unto  us  there  is  but  one  GOD,  the  father, 
and  one  LORD,  Jesus  Christ,  Who  is  the  mediator  between  God  and 
man.     We  believe  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  spirit  of  God. 

"2d.  We  believe  all  scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
if  given  by  the  inspiration  of  the  spirit  of  God,  is  the  Word  of  God. 

"3d.  We  believe  that  the  Ten  Commandments  that  were  written 
in  the  two  Tables  of  Stone  by  the  finger  of  God,  continueth  to  be  the 
rule  of  righteousness  both  to  Jews  and  Gentiles. 

"4th.  We  believe  all  mankind,  in  Adam,  fell  from  the  estate  of  per- 
fection in  which  God  made  man,  and  by  that  fall,  Adam  brought 
himself  and  all  his  posterity  into  a  state  of  condemnation. 

"5th.  We  believe  that  God  did  appoint  His  Son  before  time,  and 
revealed  him  in  time  for  the  salvation  of  his  people. 

"6th.  We  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  took  human  nature,  was  made 
under  the  law,  and  answered  the  demands  of  the  law  by  his  holy  life 
and  painful  death,  by  which  every  believer  is  justified  in  the  sight  of 
God,  through  sanctification  of  the  spirit  and  renewing  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 

"7th.  We  believe  the  church  triumphant,  militant,  and  invisible, 
are  in  regard  of  their  head  but  one,  but  different  in  regard  of  their 
situation   at  present. 

"8th.  We  believe  that  the  church  universal  is  purchased  by  the 
precious  blood  of  Christ  and  supported  by  His  grace  and  defended  by 
His  power. 

"9th.  We  believe  the  six  principles  recorded  in  Hebrews  6:  1-2,  to 
be  the  rule  of  faith  and  practise. 

"loth.  We  believe  that  the  Lord's  Supper  ought  to  be 
administered  and  received  in  all  Christian  churches. 

"nth.  We  believe  that  all  persons  thus  believing  ought  to  be 
baptized  in  water  by  dipping,  or  plunging,  after  confession  is  made  by 
them  of  their  faith  in  the  above-said  things. 

"i2th.  We  believe  that  all  Christian  churches  ought  to  have  church 
officers  in  them,  as  elders  and  deacons. 

"13th.  We  believe  a  company  of  sincere  persons  being  found  in 
the  faith  and  practise  of  the  above-said  things  may  truly  be  said  to  be 
the  church  of  God. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  21 

"14th.  We  give  up  ourselves  unto  the  Lord  and  to  one  another  to 
be  guided  and  governed  by  one  another  according  to  the  Word  of  God. 

"15th.  We  do  promise  and  engage  to  walk  in  all  holiness,  godli- 
ness, humility,  and  brotherly  love,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  to  render  our 
communion  delightful  to  God,  comfortable  to  ourselves,  and  lovely  to 
the  rest  of  the  Lord's  people. 

"i6th.  We  do  promise  to  watch  over  each  other's  conversation  and 
not  suffer  sin  upon  our  brother  as  God  shall  discover  it  to  us  or  any  of 
us,  and  to  stir  up  one  another  to  love  and  good  works,  to  warn,  rebuke, 
and  admonish  one  another,  with  meekness,  according  to  the  rules  left 
to  us  of  Christ  in  that  behalf. 

"17th.  We  do  promise  in  an  especial  manner  to  pray  for  one  an- 
other, and  for  the  glory  and  increase  of  this  church,  and  for  the  pres- 
ence of  God  in  it,  and  the  pouring  forth  of  His  spirit  on  it,  and  pro- 
tection over  it  for  His  glory. 

"i8th.  We  do  promise  to  bear  one  another's  burdens,  to  cleave  to 
one  another,  and  have  fellowship  with  one  another,  in  all  conditions, 
both  outward  and  inward,  as  God  in  His  Providence,  shall  cast  any  of 
us  into. 

"19th.  We  do  promise  to  bear  with  one  another's  weaknesses,  fail- 
ings, and  infirmities,  with  tenderness,  not  discovering  them  to  any 
without  the  church,  nor  any  within,  unless  according  to  Christ's  rule, 
and  the  orders  of  the  Gospel  provided  in  that  case. 

"20th.  We  do  promise  to  strive  together  for  the  truth  of  the  Gos- 
pel and  purity  of  God's  word  and  ordinances,  to  avoid  cause  of  differ- 
ences and  envying,  endeavouring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace. 

"21st.  We  promise  to  meet  together  on  the  Sabbath  Days  and 
other  times  as  the  Lord  shall  give  us  opportunity,  to  serve  and  glorify 
God  in  the  way  of  His  worship,  to  edify  one  another,  and  to  contrive 
the  good  of  the  church. 

"22d.  We  do  promise  according  to  our  ability  or  as  God  shall 
bless  us  with  the  good  things  of  this  world,  to  communicate  to  our 
pastor  or  minister,  God  having  ordained  that  they  that  preach  the 
Gospel,  should  live  of  the  Gospel. 

"These  and  all  other  Gospel  duties  we  humbly  submit  unto,  prom- 
ising and  purposing  to  perform,  not  in  our  own  strength,  being  con- 
scious of  our  own  weakness,  but  in  the  blessed  strength  of  God,  Whose 
we  are,  and  Whom  we  desire  to  serve,  to  Whom  be  glory,  now  and 
forevermore.     Amen. 

"This  is  the  covenant  we  now  solemnly  enter  into  in  the  love  and 
fear  of  God;  in  testimony  and  ratification  whereof  we  sign  our  names. 
"Thomas  Davis,  Judith  Babcock, 

"Thomas  Babcock,  Tacy  Davis, 

"William    Davis,  Elisabeth  Maxson, 

"Joseph  Maxson^  Experience  Maxson, 


22  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

"Ephraim  Maxson^  Rebekah  Davis, 

"Nathan  Davis,  Ann  Davis, 

"Thomas  Davis,  Jun.,  Hannah  Smith, 

"Jacob  Davis,  Elisabeth  Babcock, 

"Joseph  Davis,  Mary  Davis, 

"James  Davis,  Ruth  Maxson, 

"John  Parker,  Penelope  Davis, 

"James  Davis,  Jun.,  Lydia  Havens, 

"William  Brand,  Margaret  Miller, 

"Simeon  Maxson,  Experience  Babcock, 

"Zebulon  Maxson,  Mary  Maxson, 

"William  Davis,  Jun.,  Elisabeth  Brand, 

"William  Maxson,  Martha  Davis, 

"Nathan  Maxson,  Anna  Havens, 

"John  Davis,  Elisabeth  Maxson,  Jun.^ 

"John  Maxson^  Marvel  Maxson, 

"John  Brand,  Increase  Lippincott." 
"Thomas   Maxson, 

The  church  also  adopted  the  following: — 

"SHORT  ARTICLES  PROPER  to  be  read  to  persons  when 
received  into  this  church,  and  to  be  consented  to  and  confessed  by  the 
persons  so  received. 

"FIRST. 

"Your  duty  towards  your  God. 

"ist.  Do  you  own  God  to  be  your  God  arid  only  law-giver,  the 
strength  of  your  life,  and  the  life  of  your  souls? 

"2d.  Do  you  promise  to  obey  His  commands  as  far  as  God  shall 
enable  you  ? 

'■3d.  Do  you  promise  to  look  to  Him  as  your  supporter,  guider, 
and  director  in  all  things  agreeable  to  His  will? 

"4th.  Do  you  take  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ,  to  be  your  king  to  rule 
over  you  and  in  you  and  for  you,  as  a  prophet  to  teach  you  and  direct 
you? 

"5th.  Do  you  believe  that  [by  the]  atonement  that  Jesus  made  by 
the  sacrifice  of  Himself,  that  He  made  satisfaction  to  God,  and  by  His 
glorious  victory  over  sin,  Satan,  death,  and  the  grave,  j'ou  expect  to  be 
a  conqueror  through  Christ,  over  sin  and  Satan  in  this  life,  and  over 
death  and  the  grave  at  the  resurrection? 

"6th.  Do  you  depend  upon  the  atonement  of  Christ  for  the 
salvation  of  your  souls,  looking  for  it  in  God's  way? 

"IN  THE  SECOND  PLACE. 

"Your  duty  as  a  church  member  in  relation  to  this  church  in 

particular. 

"ist.     That  you  pray  for  the  growth  of  the  church,  and  for  her 

peace  and  safety,  and  for  grace,  wisdom,  and    understanding    to     be 

conferred  on  the  ministers  thereof. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  23 

"2d.  That  you  are  constant  as  far  as  you  can  [be]  in  attending 
on  the  public  worship  of  God  upon  the  Holy  Sabbath. 

"3d.  That  you  shall  attend  on  meetings  of  conference  that  are 
appointed  for  public  consultation  of  the  affairs  of  the  church,  and  be 
a  useful  member  in  the  same. 

"4th.  That  you  endeavour  as  far  as  God  shall  enable  you  to  assist 
in  the  support  of  the  Gospel  in  general,  and  this  church  in  particular. 

"IN  THE  THIRD  PLACE. 
"Your  duty  to  your  brethren  as  church  members. 

"ist.  You  shall  live  in  peace  with  all  your  brothers  and  sisters, 
and  endeavour  when  opportunity  serves  to  speak  about  the  things  of 
God. 

"2d.  That  you  shall  watch  over  your  brothers  and  sisters  that  you 
are  in  communion  with;  if  you  see  them  going  astray,  you  shall 
endeavour  to  reclaim  them  in  love  and  meekness. 

"3d.  That  you  shall  be  willing  at  all  times  not  only  to  give  re- 
proof, but  to  take  reproof  from  your  brothers  and  sisters  when  you  go 
astray  yourself. 

"4th.  That  if  your  brothers  or  sisters  shall  offend  you  in  word  or 
action,  you  shall  not  divulge  it  to  any  brother  or  sister  or  any  other 
person,  until  you  have  been  to  the  offender  and  made  it  known  to  him ; 
and  if  he  repent,  forgive  him;  and  if  not,  you  shall  not  make  it  known 
to  those  without,  but  take  the  Gospel  rule. 

"5th.  That  you  shall  not  speak  reproachfully  of  nor  backbite  your 
brothers  or  sisters  that  you  are  in  communion  with. 

"6th.  That  you  shall  walk  honestly  towards  those  that  are  without, 
that  you  give  no  offence  to  Jew  or  Gentile,  or  the  church  of  God. 

"IN  THE  FOURTH  PLACE. 

"Of  private  duties  respecting  yourselves  and  families. 

"ist.  That  you  search  the  Scriptures  to  prove  the  Word  you  hear 
preached,  and  that  you  are  diligent  in  reading  the  Word  to  yourself 
and  families;  that  you  pray  for  wisdom  and  understanding  [of]  what 
you  read,  and  the  blessing  of  God  on  your  labour  and  family. 

"2d.  That  you  bring  up  your  children  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord,  as  far  as  God  shall  enable  you. 

"3d.  That  you  watch  over  your  words  and  actions  that  your  con- 
versation be  as  becomes  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  with  a  holy  temper, 
disposition,  and  composure  of  mind,  agreeable  to  the  Gospel  rule. 

"4th.  That  you  shall  be  courteous  and  kind  in  entertaining  the 
poor  when  called  thereunto,  as  far  as  your  ability  will  allow. 

"5th.  And  lastly,  it  is  required  that  you  have  God's  glory  in  view 
in  all  your  religious  and  civil  affairs. 

"In  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  we  receive  you  into  the 
church,  pronounce  you  a  member  thereof,  partaker  of  its  privileges 
and  subject  to  its  laws  and  government,  agreeable  to  the  Word  of 
God.     In  token  of  which  I  do,  in  the  behalf  of  this  church,  give  you 


24  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  praying  that  what  is  now  done  on  earth 
may  be  confirmed  in  Heaven." 

The  foregoing  Confession  of  Faith,  etc.,  remain,  un- 
changed, in  use  by  the  Salem  (West  Virginia)  Church,  the 
successor  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church,  to  this  day. 

The  work  of  discipHne  and  reconciHation  proceeded  hand 
in  hand.  Simeon  Maxson  was  restored  to  membership,  and 
others  were  commanded  to  appear  before  the  bar  of  the  church 
to  answer  to  charges  made  against  them.  To  facihtate  this 
work,  the  church  appointed  two  ruhng  elders,  Joseph  Maxson 
of  Middletown,  and  Thomas  Babcock  of  Shrewsbury. 

Simeon  Maxson  now  openly  advocated  numerous  im-or- 
thodox  views,  particularly  concerning  the  doctrine  of  eternal 
punishment.  To  complicate  matters  still  further,  he  prayed 
the  church  to  grant  him  licence  to  preach.  The  church  an- 
swered him  by  saying  that  it  thought  "it  proper  to  exclude  the 
said  Simeon  Maxson  from  communion  with  the  church,  till 
such  time  as  he  makes  suitable  acknowledgment  according 
to  the  Word  of  God."  Simeon  Maxson  appealed  from  this 
decision,  and  two  months  later  the  church  voted  to  allow  him 
to  preach  a  trial  sermon,  and  if  that  should  be  satisfactory 
doctrinally,  he  should  be  allowed  to  preach  until  further  action 
by  the  church.  A  month  afterward  he  was  silenced.  He 
soon  acknowledged  his  doctrinal  errors,  but  declared  he  would 
continue  to  preach.  In  September,  1776,  he  was  again  a  sub- 
ject of  consideration  by  the  church,  because  of  his  antipathy 
to  war — the  War  of  American  Independence  then  fairly 
beginning.  He  had  previously  been  a  Quaker,  and  this  fact 
probably  explains  not  only  his  dislike  of  war,  but  his  doctrinal 
aberrations  as  well.  Afterward,  he  became  reconciled  to  the 
church. 

Occasionally  the  church  varied  the  monotony  of  its  busi- 
ness meetings  by  settling  disputes  arising  from  bitsiness  trans- 
actions between  its  members. 

A  noted  case  of  this  kind  was  a  dispute  that  arose  between 
Nathan  Davis  and  John  Parker.  The  latter  was  an  indentured 
servant  of  the  former.  The  record  shows  that  on  April  30, 
1775,  the  church 

"VOTED,  That  John  Parker  had  not  clothes  sufficient  but  should 
have  one  shirt  and  one  pair  of  trousers  for  every-day  clothes. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  25 

"VOTED,  That  he  have  for  his  freedom  suit,  a  shirt,  a  jacket,  a 
pair  of  stockings,  a  pair  of  shoes,  and  new  lining  in  the  coat  entirely 
new." 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  John  Parker  was  a  negro 
slave,  for  he  was  not.  He  was  one  of  that  numerous  class  of 
white  people  known  as  "redemptioners."  They  may  be  thus 
described : — 

"They  were  poor  people,  although  often  persons  of  fairly  good  sta- 
tion and  education,  who  desired  to  emigrate  to  America,  but  who 
could  not  afford  to  pay  their  passage. 

"A  regular  system  was  then  established,  by  which  a  poor  person 
desiring  to  settle  in  New  Jersey  would  be  brought  over  free.  When 
one  of  these  emigrants  took  passage  on  a  ship,  he  signed  a  contract 
which  gave  the  captain  of  the  vessel  the  right  to  sell  him,  as  soon  as 
he  arrived  in  America,  for  enough  money  to  pay  his  passage.  This 
white  man  was  thus  bought,  when  he  reached  New  Jersey,  exactly  as 
if  he  had  been  a  negro  slave;  and  he  was  subject  to  the  same  rules  as 
those  which  governed  other  slaves.  Of  course,  he  was  made  the 
subject  of  great  imposition;  for  the  captain  would  naturally  desire  to 
get  as  large  a  sum  of  money  as  possible  for  each  redemptioner,  and 
therefore  would  be  perfectly  willing  to  sell  him  for  a  long  term. 

"The  people  who  owned  redemptioners  could  sell  them  again  if 
they  chose ;  and  it  often  happened  that  some  of  them  passed  into  the 
possession  of  several  families  before  they  finally  served  out  the  term 
for  which  they  had  been  sold.  All  sorts  of  people  became  redemptioners, 
— mechanics,  labourers,  and  even  professional  men.  Among  the  people 
who  sold  themselves  into  limited  slavery  there  were  schoolmasters,  and 
it  is  stated  that  at  one  time  the  supply  of  redemptioner  schoolmasters 
was  so  great  that  they  became  a  drug  in  the  market." 

"It  is  said  that  these  redemptioners  were  often  treated  much  more 
harshly  and  cruelly  than  the  negro  slaves,  and  any  one  who  assisted 
one  of  them  to  escape  was  severely  punished." 

"After  a  time  there  were  laws  made  to  protect  the  redemptioners. 
One  of  these  was,  that  any  person  sold  after  he  was  seventeen  years  old 
could  not  serve  for  more  than  four  years ;  and  another  provided,  that, 
when  a  redemptioner's  time  of  service  had  expired,  his  master  should 
give  him  two  good  suits  of  clothing,  suitable  for  a  servant,  one  good  ax, 
one  good  hoe,  and  seven  bushels  of  Indian  corn."i 

From  the  foregoing,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  dispute 
between  Nathan  Davis  and  John  Parker  was  over  the  interpre- 
tation of  the  law  as  to  what  clothes  the  latter  should  have  upon 
the  termination  of  his  term  of  service  as  a  redemptioner. 


I.  From  Stockton's  Stories  of  New  Jersey.  Also  cf.  Gordon's  History  of  New 
Jersey,  Raum's  History  of  New  Jersey,  and  Barber  and  Howe's  Historical 
Collections. 


26  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

At  one  time  Thomas  Alaxson  was  censured  by  the  church 
for  carrying  a  couple  to  the  justice  of  the  peace  to  be  married, 
contrary  to  law. 

Again  the  church  disciplined  some  of  its  members  for 
partaking  of  the  "Lord's  Supper  with  the  Church  of 
England." 

Formal  excommunication  from  the  church  was  no  ordi- 
nary affair,  nor  was  it  to  be  thought  of  lightly.  On  the 
contrary,  it  was  accounted  a  public  disgrace ;  and  well  might 
it  be  so  considered.  A  formal  letter  of  excommunication, 
known  as  the  "Awful  Sentence  of  Excommunication,"  was 
drawn  up  and  read  before  the  assembled  multitude,  at  the 
regular  service  on  Sabbath  morning.  One  of  these  letters  of 
excommunication,  dated  July  ii,  1778,  runs  as  follows: — 

"WHEREAS,  Joseph  Auger,  Elisabeth  Auger,  and  EHsabeth 
Hampton,  members  of  this  church,  having  been  under  dealings  by  this 
church  for  some  time  on  the  account  of  breach  of  Sabbath,  and  have 
been  cited  to  our  church  meeting  sundry  times,  as  can  be  made  to 
appear  by  the  records  of  this  church,  they  having  cast  reproach  on 
the  authority  of  this  church  by  not  obeying  the  calls  thereof,  and  still 
continue  to  live  publickly  in  the  breach  of  God's  law,  by  Sabbath 
breaking,  week  after  week ;  we  therefore  consulting  the  volume  of 
God's  Word,  do  look  on  it  to  be  our  abounding  duty  according  to  God's 
Word,  to  deliver  such  a  one  to  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the  flesh 
that  his  spirit  may  be  saved  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  likewise 
are  exhorted  by  the  same  apostle :  He  that  is  an  heretic  after  the  first 
and  second  admonition  reject;  and  our  Blessed  Lord  gave  this  direction 
to  the  church  of  Christ,  concerning  one  brother  with  another,  [and] 
says  thus :  If  thy  brother  trespass  against  thee,  tell  him  his  fault 
between  thee  and  him  alone,  and  if  he  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained 
thy  brother,  and  if  he  neglect  to  hear  thee,  take  with  thee  2  or  3 
more,  and  if  he  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the  church,  and  if  he 
neglect  to  hear  the  church,  let  him  be  unto  thee  as  an  heathen  man 
and  a  publican.  Which  by  consulting  these  things,  we  find  that  such 
persons  after  they  are  regularly  proceeded  against  according  to  rule 
and  the  circumstance  of  the  offenders  or  of  the  offender,  I  do  therefore, 
in  behalf  of  this  Church  and  before  this  Congregation,  in  the  name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  deliver  those  persons  mentioned  before  by  name, 
to  Satan  according  to  the  apostle's  directions,  so  thereby  depriving 
them  of  all  the  privileges  of  this  Church  as  a  church  member,  till  God 
of  His  infinite  mercy  brings  them  to  the  light  of  his  blessed  truth  in 
compliance  with  them.  Amen.  Which  may  God  grant  through  Jesus 
Christ  our  Lord." 


1^  -"PI 


>?^.Z4^-^-^*c^  >^  SU'-^i^  ^^''  ^^^/ ./-«.-. 

ll£    "aw  FL  L    .sKX  N':.\(.  1-,    ol-     l-:xi(  iM  M  I  ■  M(A  TIOX. ' 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  27 

In  this  connection  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  that  the 
last  recorded  official  act  of  the  church  before  it  left  New  Jersey, 
was  the  public  reading  of  the  "Awful  Sentence  of  Excommuni- 
cation" of  three  of  its  members,  on  August  16,  1789. 

Troublous  times  beset  the  Shrewsbury  Church.  The 
War  of  Independence  had  begun,  and  the  ranks  of  the  Colonial 
armies  claimed  the  father  and  sons  from  many  an  anxious 
home.  Even  the  faithful  pastor,  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  enlisted  as 
a  chaplain.  To  add  to  the  embarrassment  and  sorrow  of  the 
church,  some  of  its  members  cast  their  lot  with  the  royalists, 
and  joined  the  British  army. 

At  Monmouth  Court  House,  now  Freehold,  only  eight  or 
ten  miles  distant  to  the  northwest,  was  fought  the  celebrated 
Battle  of  Monmouth,  where  Washington  administered  his 
stinging  rebuke  to  Lee;  and  where  Molly  Pitcher,  "a  stout, 
red-haired,  freckled-faced  young  Irish  woman  with  a  hand- 
some piercing  eye,"  and  but  twenty-two  years  of  age,  made 
herself  famous  for  all  time  by  her  unique  display  of  bravery.^ 
It  was  to  observe  the  movements  of  the  British  army  two 
days  before  this  hotly  contested  battle  that  James  Davis,  the 
father  of  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  who  was  pastor  of  the  church  at 
the  time  of  its  removal  from  New  Jersey  to  Virginia,  mounted 
his  horse  and  rode  away  from  his  home  over  to  Monmouth 
Court  House,  only  to  return  a  few  hours  later  fatally  wounded 
by  a  stray  shot  from  the  battle-field,  for  his  grief-stricken 
family  to  remove  his  lifeless  body  from  his  faithful  horse. 

On  a  line  nearly  east  from  Monmouth  Court  House,  and 
slightly  northwest  from  the  village  of  Squan,  at  Colt's  Neck, 
some  six  or  eight  miles  distant,  was  the  home  of  Captain  Joshua 
Huddy,  a  terror  to  the  British  throughout  Monmouth  county, 
who,  when  captured  by  the  enemy,  was  wantonly  put  to  death 
by  hanging. 

Directly  to  the  eastward,  at  the  mouth  of  Shark  River, 
some  three  or  four  miles  distant,  the  British  disembarked  one 
day  and  burnt  the  salt  works  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  At 
about  the  same  time  they  burnt  the  salt  works  and  destroyed  the 
kettles  on  both  sides  of  the  mouth  of  the  T^Ianasquan  River, 
some  five  or  six  miles  down  the  coast  from  Shark  River. 

I.      Cf.     Raum,    History    of     New     Jersey.     Barber     and     Howe,     Historical 
Collections.     Stockton,  Stories  of  New  Jersey. 


28  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Only  a  short  distance  away  were  the  "Pines,"  infested  by 
Indians,  pirates,  and  other  robbers,  who  lived  in  caves  and 
preyed  upon  the  surrounding  country — a  constant  menace 
throughout  the  war. 

But  the  ravages  of  war  were  not  permitted  to  stop  the 
advancement  of  the  interests  of  the  church.  The  pastor,  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis,  obtained  occasional  furloughs  from  his  duties  as 
chaplain  in  the  American  army,  and  came  home  to  administer 
to  the  spiritual  wants  of  his  flock.  He  preached,  conducted 
communion  services,  and  baptized  and  received  new  converts 
into  membership  in  the  church. 

Under  the  zealous  leadership  of  the  devoted  pastor,  in 
January.  1778,  the  church  opened  a  subscription  for  funds  with 
which  to  complete  a  house  of  worship,  and  "accordingly  a 
quantity  of  money  was  collected  for  that  purpose." 

The  first  record  concerning  a  house  of  worship  is  dated 
March  3,  1775,  when  the  church  voted  to  build  a  meeting 
house  "on  the  south-east  corner  of  Zebulon  Maxson's  land 
lying  on  one  of  the  branches  coming  out  of  the  branch  com- 
monly known  as  the  Great  Branch,  the  said  Zebulon  Maxson 
having  given  his  free  consent  thereunto." 

For  this  lot  w^hich  was  situated  in  the  little    village    of 
Squan,  Zebulon  Maxson  executed  the  following  deed : — 
"To  all  Christian  People  to  zvhom  these  presents  shall  come : 

"Know  ye  that  I,  Zebulon  Maxson,  of  Shrewsbury  Township,  in 
the  County  of  Monmouth  and  Eastern  Division  of  New  Jersey,  Cord- 
wainder,  for  and  in  consideration  of  love,  good-will,  and  affection  which 
I  have  and  do  bear  towards  my  loving  brethren,  the  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist Church  inhabiting  in  Shrewsbury  Township  as  aforesaid,  I  have 
given,  granted,  and  by  these  presents  do  vokmtarily  of  my  own  free 
will  and  accord  with  the  consent  of  Experience,  my  wife,  give  and 
grant  unto  the  said  church  or  society  of  people  as  aforesaid  a  lot  of 
land  for  a  meeting  house  lying  near  the  road  that  goes  across  the  South 
Branch  of  Little  Brushy  Neck,  which  said  land  the  said  Zebulon  Max- 
son lays  claim  unto  by  virtue  of  a  deed  of  sale  from  David  Hall  [?], 
beginning  at  a  heap  of  stones  planted  in  the  earth  about  thirty  links 
easterly  of  said  road,  iirst  running  north  sixty-three  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes  east  two  chain  and  twenty-five  links ;  secondly,  south,  twenty- 
six  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  east  two  chain  and  twenty-five  links ; 
thirdly,  south  sixty-three  degrees  and  thirty  minutes  west  two  chain 
and  twenty-five  links  to  the  brook  by  the  side  of  the  road  to  where  it 
crosses  the  said  brook;  fourthly,  north  twent3^-six  degrees  and  thirty 
minutes  west  to  where  it  began,  containing  eighty-one  perches,  strict 


y,    -^"/f/,^  r/^„rrj(  ..il^y.nt;.;, 


^v, 


"/■/,,    J<',..^ 


,/    ^,,-,     ^.,.Aur.....,\ 


-      T'-.  . 


.^«<-y  fi 


V^-ji^Vj^    .'a»»   /^>  4£i     ■■? *  ■ 


■Ji<-J:/r./.   fi 


-'••■7^' 


..^A/^^c... 


-A, 


>«.,  ^i;<.  f% 


'•;/■■' 


I  '/infk^*/ 


THE    UKEl)    FOR    THE    SHKEWSIiL'KV    CHLKCH    LOT. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


29 


measure,  to  have  and  to  hold  the  said  given  and  granted  premises  to- 
gether with  the  appurtenances  free  and  clear,  freely  and  heartily  by 
them  to  be  possessed  and  enjoyed  without  hurt  [?],  molestation,  inter- 
ruption whatsoever  to  them  and  their  heirs  forever;  and  I,  the  said 
Zebulon  Maxson,  for  me,  my  heirs,  executors,  and  administrators  do 
covenant  with  the  said  church  that  before  the  ensealing  and  delivery  of 
these  presents,  I  am  the  true,  sole,  and  lawful  owner  of  the  above  given 
and  granted  premises  and  have  in  myself  full  power  and  lawful  author- 
ity to  dispose  of  the  same  in  manner  aforesaid,  and  will  forever,  by 
virtue  of  these  presents,  hereafter  warrant  and  defend  from  the  lawful 
claims  of  all  persons  whatsoever.  In  witness  hereof  I  have  hereunto 
put  my  hand  and  seal  this  third  day  of  April,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  God,  one  thousand,  seven  hundred  and  seventy-five. 

"Zebulon  Maxsox^  [l.  s.]" 

"Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  presence  of: — 
"Thomas  Davis,  Jr., 
"John  Maxson, 
"Jacob  Davis." 

The  building  was  ready  for  the  roof  by  October  27,  1776, 
when  it  was  voted  to  proceed  with  covering  it  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. It  was  built  with  a  white  oak  frame,  which  after 
standing  a  century  and  a  quarter,  is  still  firm  and  solid.  It  was 
about  thirty  feet  in  length  by  twenty-five  feet  in  width.  On 
the  8th  of  August,  1789,  the  church  voted  to  sell  the  meeting 
house  and  put  the  proceeds  into  the  treasury  of  the  church. 

Four  weeks  afterward,  or  on  "September  the  6th,  1789, 
then  did  the  body  of  this  church  remove  from  Shrewsbury  in 
order  to  settle  in  the  State  of  Virginia.  Names :  Our  Elder, 
Jacob  Davis,  with  all  his  family ;  William  Davis,  senior ;  John 
Davis;  Ephraim  Maxson;  Thomas  Badcock  [sic]  ;  and  Zebu- 
lon Maxson;  and  Benjamin  Thorp;  with  all  their  families. 
And  on  the  thirteenth  of  the  same  month,  set  out  from  the  same 
place  these  brethren ;  viz.,  Simeon  Maxson ;  William  Davis, 
Junior ;  and  William  Maxson ;  with  all  their  families." 

The  group  which  started  first,  appears  to  have  stopped  at 
Clay  Pit  Creek,  in  Middletown,  for  a  farewell  visit  with  such 
friends  there  as  were  not  going  to  Virginia,  and  when  joined 
at  that  place  by  the  second  group  which  started  a  w^eek  later 
from  Shrewsbury,  they  all  proceeded  together  on  their  journey. 

Rev.  Simeon  Babcock,  who  was  about  five  years  of  age  at 
the  time  he  accompanied  his  parents  upon  this  journey,  says 
there  were  "seven  wagons  in  number."     James  Davis,  who 


30  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

was  sixteen  years  of  age  when  the  migration  to  Virginia  took 
place,  and  who,  also,  was  one  of  the  company  of  travellers, 
says  "The  train  consisted  of  fifteen  wagons."  Morgan  Ed- 
wards, who  visited  Squan,  November  i8,  1789,  a  little  more 
than  two  months  after  the  departure  of  the  emigrants,  says 
"seventy-two  souls"  had  gone.  Still  another  member  of  the 
company,  seventeen  years  of  age  at  the  time,  says  there  were 
ten  wagons  with  seventy  souls.  The  church  record  shows  that 
ten  families  started  from  Shrewsbury. 

It  is  not  only  possible,  but  somewhat  probable  that  the 
original  company  from  Shrewsbury  was  augmented  by  re- 
cruits from  Middletown,  and  from  Piscataway.  A  daughter 
of  the  first  William  Davis  lived  at  Piscataway,  and  from  this 
place  had  started  a  movement  westward,  led  by  Samuel  Fitz 
Randolph,  before  the  Shrewsbury  Church  started.  The  diflfer- 
ent  times  of  starting,  as  well  as  the  possible  several  points  of 
starting,  make  it  possible  for  all  the  statements  of  eye  wit- 
nesses as  to  the  number  of  wagons  and  the  number  of 
emigrants  to  be  correct. 

When  the  procession  was  ready  to  start,  the  people  all 
assembled  in  a  grove,  where  their  pastor.  Rev.  Jacob  Davis, 
preached  a  short  farewell  sermon  for  those  left  behind,  after 
which  the  travellers  partook  of  refreshments  provided  for  them 
by  their  friends,  and  then  started  on  their  long  tedious  journey, 
extending  more  than  four  hundred  miles  westward. 

The  emigrants  settled  on  White  Day  Creek  in  what  is  now 
Monongalia  County,  West  Virginia.  Here  they  tarried  for 
two  years  or  more,  where  William  Davis  died  July  15,  1791. 

The  new  settlers  were  disappointed,  however,  in  their 
land,  which  according  to  Morgan  Edwards,  was  obtained 
through  a  man  by  the  name  of  Reed.^ 

The  new  comers  from  New  Jersey  had  friends  a  few 
miles  away  across  the  Pennsylvania  border,  north  of  the 
Cheat  River.     Among  them  was  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  who 


I.  In  1785,  Reed  and  Ford  entered  lands  in  Monongalia  County  aggregating 
10,000  acres;  in  1786  John  Reed  entered,  in  the  aggregate,  20,400  acres,  on  the 
waters  of  Big  Steer  Creek  in  Monongalia  County;  and  in  1787,  he  entered  an 
aggregate  of  21,200  acres  on  Ten  Mile  Creek  in  Harrison  County.  Cf.,  Dyer's 
Index  to  Land  Grants  in  West  Virginia.  Charleston,  [W.  Va.],  1895.  Francis 
Reed  owned  lands  on  the  West  Fork,  near  the  mouth  of  "Fall  Run,"  as  early 
as  1781;  how  much  earlier  is  not  known. 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


3^ 


had  a  short  time  before,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  lying  on 
the  waters  of  Ten  Mile  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  West  Fork  of 
the  Monongahela  River,  some  fifty  miles  beyond  White  Day 
Creek.  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  persuaded  the  dissatisfied  set- 
tlers at  White  Day  Creek  to  go  and  inspect  his  new  purchase, 
as  well  as  other  lands  adjacent,  consisting  largely  of  five 
thousand  acre  tracts.  As  a  result,  the  new  settlers  from 
Shrewsbury  purchased  farms,  and  moved  to  this  place,  where 
was  laid  out  the  Village  of  New  Salem,  on  the  lands  of  Samuel 
Fitz  Randolph. 

The  influences  which  drew  the  Shrewsbury  Church  away 
from  its  New  Jersey  home,  as  well  as  a  history  of  the  first 
settlement  at  New  Salem,  will  be  discussed  in  a  subsequent 
chapter. 

A  LIST  OF  THE  CONSTITUENT   MEMBERS   OF  THE   SHREWSBURY  CHURCH. 

William  Davis,  "an  aged  minister  of  the  gospel," 
Joseph  Maxson,  "a  ministering  brother," 
John  Davis,  "a  ministering  brother," 
Thomas  Babcock^ 
Thomas  Davis, 

William  Brand,  Jr., 
Joseph  Davis, 

Elisabeth  Davis,  (wife  of  John  Davis  the  elder), 
Bethiah  Maxson,  (wife  of  Joseph  Maxson), 
Elisabeth  Davis,  (wife  of  John  Davis), 
Ruth  Babcock,  (wife  of  Thomas  Babcock), 
Bethiah  Davis^  (wife  of  Thomas  Davis), 
Elisabeth  Brand, 
Mary  Stillman, 
Judith  Davis,  (wife  of  James  Davis), 

Elisabeth  Davis,  Junior,  [alias]  Maxson. 

NOTES    concerning    THE    MEMBERS    OF    THE    SHREWSBURY    CHURCH. 

(Taken  from  the  Church  Records). 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  widow,  went  in  October,  1745,  to  live  with  her 
son  Joseph  Davis  in  Pennsylvania." 

"Thomas  Davis  and  family  went  to  Pennsylvania  in  March,  1746." 

"John  Davis,  chosen  elder,  July  19,  1746." 

"Joseph  Davis  and  his  family  returned  to  Westerly,  he  and  his  wife 
being  recommended  there  in  175 1." 

"Thomas  Davis  and  family  returned  from  Pennsylvania  in  perhaps 
about  two  years  and  settled  in  Middletown,  hard  by  Clay  Pit  Creek. 
Elisabeth  Davis,   widow,  also  returned  and   settled  there,  where  also 


32  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Joseph  Maxson,  husband  of  Elisabeth  Maxson,  James  Davis,  Joseph 
StiUman,  and  Mosher  Maxson,  now  live  in  1752." 

"Mosher  Maxson  and  family  returned  from  Middletown,  and 
settled  at  Manasquan,  April,  1753." 

"Joseph  Stillman  and  his  family  went  to  settle  in  New  England, 
he  and  his  wife  being  recommended  to  the  church  in  Westerly  in 
September,   1753." 

"Nathan  Rogers  of  New  London  was  the  first  that  was  baptized 
here  but  was  recommended  to  the  church  in  Westerly  to  be  received  a 
member  because  that  was  nigher  to  his  habitation." 

"The  next  that  were  baptized  were  Simeon  Maxson  and  Comfort 
Davis,  both  in  one  day,  and  were  joined  to  the  church.  The  next  were 
William  Brand  and  Mosher  Maxson,  both  in  a  day  at  Squankum,  m 
the  year  1749.  The  next  were  Joseph  Stillman  and  Judith  Davis  alias 
Babcock  at  Squan  in  the  year  1749.  The  next  was  Tacy  Maxson  of 
Squan  in  the  year  1750.  Next  Joseph  Maxson  at  Middletown,  June  22, 
1754.  Next  Anna  Havens  and  Experience  Davis,  both  in  a  day,  July 
13.  1754.  at  Squan." 

"Rebecca  Brand  was  the  first  baptized  after  brother  John  Davis's 
decease,  and  received  as  a  member  of  the  church,  November  11,  about 
the  year  1758,  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  being  the  administrator." 

"Joseph  Davis  of  Middletown  was  baptized  by  Joshua  Maxson  in 
the  year  1760,  and  received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham." 

"Tacy  Davis,  wife  of  William  Davis;  Nathan  Davis;  John  Brand; 
Tacy  Davis  (the  daughter  of  William  Davis)  ;  Elisabeth  Davis,  were 
baptized  all  in  a  day,  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham,  and  received  into  the 
church  about  the  year  1761." 

"Ephraim  Maxson  about  the  year  1764  returned  from  New  Eng- 
land, where  he  had  been  baptized  and  received  into  the  Westerly 
Church,  and  soon  after  was  received  as  a  member  of  this  Church." 

"Jacob  Davis,  son  of  James  Davis,  was  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  in  the  year  1772." 

"Mary  Davis,  the  wife  of  Jacob  Davis  was  baptized  and  received 
into  the  church  June  27,  1773,  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman." 

"Elisabeth  Babcock,  Experience  Babcock,  Ruth  Maxson,  baptized 
and  received  into  the  church,  December  19,  1773,  by  Rev.  Jonathan 
Jarman." 

"Anna  Davis,  wife  of  Nathan  Davis,  baptized  and  received  into  the 
church,"   (no  date). 

"Thomas  Davis,  Junr.,  baptized  and  taken  into  the  church  by  Rev. 
Jonathan  Dunham  near  the  year  1764." 

"Elisabeth  Hampton,  wife  of  John  Hampton,  Hannah  Smith,  wife 
of  Zebulon  Smith,  both  of  Shark  River ;  and  Penelope  Davis,  wife  of 
Joseph  Davis,  of  Middletown,  baptized  and  received  into  the  church  all 
in  a  day,  June  19,  1774,  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman." 

(2) 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH  33 

THE  FOLLOWING  SIGNED  THE  CHURCH  COVENANT  WHICH   WAS  ADOPTED 
JUNE,    1774. 

Thomas  Davis,  Judith    Babcock, 

Thomas  Babcock,  Tacy  Davis, 

William  Davis,  Elisabeth   Maxson, 

Joseph  Maxson,  Experience  Maxson, 

Ephraim  Maxson,  Rebecca  Davis, 

Nathan  Davis,  Ann  Davis, 

Thomas  Davis,  Junr.,  Hannah  Smith, 

Jacob  Davis,  Elisabeth  Babcock, 

Joseph  Davis,  Ruth  Maxson, 

James  Davis,  Penelope  Davis, 

John  Parker,  Lydia  Havens, 

James  Davis,  Junr.,  Mary  Davis, 

William  Brand,  Margaret  Miller, 

Simeon  Maxson,  Experience  Babcock, 

Zebulon  Maxson,  Mary  Maxson, 

William  Davis,  Junr.,  Elisabeth  Brand, 

William  Maxson,  Martha  Davis, 

Nathan  Maxson,  Anna  Havens, 

John  Davis,  Elisabeth  Maxson,  Junr., 

John  Maxson,  Marvel  Maxson, 

John  Brand,  Increase  Lippincott. 
Thomas  Maxson, 

"About  July  15,  1774,  the  following  were  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman :  James  Davis,  eldest,  James 
Davis,  his  son,  Joseph  Auger,  Margaret  Miller,  Elisabeth  Auger  (wife 
of  William  Auger),  Lydia  Havens  (wife  of  Jacob  Havens),  Martha 
Davis." 

"December  4,  1774,  John  Parker,  and  Mary  Maxson,  baptized  and 
received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  Henry  Dawson." 

"February  27,  1775,  Zebulon  Maxson,  Nathan  Maxson,  William 
Maxson,  William  Davis,  and  John  Davis,  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman." 

"May  14,  1775,  John  Maxson,  and  Marvel  Maxson,  baptized  and 
received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis." 

"August  26,  1775,  Margaret  Miller,  given  letter  of  recommenda- 
tion." 

"September  20,  1777,  Increase  Lippincott  baptized  by  Rev.  Jacob 
Davis." 

"September  27,  1777,  Increase  Lippincott  received  into  the  church 
by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis." 

"April  14,  1778,  Thomas  Maxson  baptized." 

"April  14,  1778,  Thomas  Maxson  received  into  the  church  by  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis." 


34 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


"April  28,  1781,  Joseph  Gifford  was  baptized." 

"May  13,  1781,  Margaret  Newman  and  Elisabeth  Gifford  received 
into  the  church." 

a  list  of  names  following  the  minutes  of  meeting,  august  id,  i783. 

William  Brand,  Simeon  Maxson,  Junr., 

Thomas  Babcock,  John  Patterson, 

William  Davis,  Judith  Babcock, 

Zebulon  Maxson,  Elisabeth  Lafferty,i 

Ephraim  Maxson,  Marvel  Davis, 

Henry  Lafferty,i  Experience  Maxson, 

Nathan  Davis,  Ann  Davis, 

William  Maxson,  Margaret  Martin, 

John  Davis,  Amy  Babcock. 

"November  i8,  1786,  Zebulon  Maxson,  Anna  Maxson,  Eamy 
[Emma  or  Amy?]  Babcock,  Sally  Patterson,  Elisabeth  Maxson 
(daughter  of  Zebulon),  Bethiah  Maxson,  Prudence  Maxson,  Lydia 
Davis,  were  received  into  the  church." 

"December  13,  1786,  Thomas  Babcock,  William  Davis,  Catharine 
Davis  (wife  of  William),  Hannah  Davis,  Mosher  Maxson,  James 
Maxson,  Jacob  Davis,  Joseph  Davis,  Samuel  Davis,  Jesse  Maxson, 
were  baptized." 

"December  24,  1786,  David  Davis,  Nathan  Davis,  and  William  Den- 
nis were  baptized." 

"December  31,  1786,  Susanna  Maxson,  George  Maxson,  Experience 
Maxson,  and  Mary  Davis,  were  baptized.     All  young  persons." 

"January  7,  1787,  William  Davis,  Catharine  Davis  (wife  of 
William),  Mosher  Maxson,  James  Maxson,  Jacob  Davis,  Joseph  Davis, 
Jesse  Maxson,  Samuel  Davis,  were  received  into  tlie  church,  having 
been  previously  baptized." 

"January  21,  1787,  Ananias  Gifford,  John  Maxson,  Hannah  New- 
man, Sarah  Gifford,  were  baptized." 

"January  27,  1787,  Experience  Maxson  was  received  into  the 
church." 

"February  5,  1787,  Nathan  Davis  (son  of  Nathan),  and  George 
Maxson,  were  received  into  the  church." 

"February  25,  1787,  James  Davis,  Mary  Gifford,  and  Calvin  Har- 
bert  were  baptized." 

"March  10,  1787,  William  Dennis  was  received  into  the  church." 

"May  13,  1787,  Catharine  Dennis  was  baptized." 

"June  29,  1787,  Anna  Dennis  was  baptized." 

"September  i,  1787,  Anna  Dennis  was  received  into  the  church." 

"June  14,  1789,  Gideon  Day  and  Samuel  Newman  were  received 
into  the  church." 

"September  6,  1789.     Then  did  the    body  of    this  church    remove 

1.     McLafferty. 


s  -s 

^   £ 


a 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


35 


from  Shrewsbury  in  order  to  settle  in  the  state  of  Virginia.  Names : 
Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  with  his  family;  William  Davis,  Senior;  John  Davis; 
Ephraim  Maxson ;  Thomas  Babcock;  Zebulon  Maxson;  Benjamin 
Thorp,  with  all  their  families. 

"September  13,  1789.  Also  set  out  the  following  from  the  same 
place :  Simeon  Maxson ;  William  Davis,  Junior ;  William  Maxson, 
with  all  their  families." 

The  next  date  that  appears  in  the  records  is  May  13,  1792, 
after  the  church  had  settled  at  New  Salem,  Harrison  County, 
Virginia.  The  church  there  became  known  as  the  New  Salem 
Church,  to  correspond  with  the  name  of  the  new  place  of 
settlement. 

MEETING  HOUSE. 

For  thirty  years  the  church  had  no  meeting  house,  but  met 
for  worship  in  the  homes  of  its  members  in  the  township  of 
Shrewsbury  near  the  Manasquan  and  Shark  rivers ;  and  in  the 
township  of  Middletown  in  the  vicinity  of  Clay  Pit  Creek. 
For  a  time,  business  meetings  and  communion  services 
alternated  between  the  two  towns. 

Upon  the  whole,  however,  meetings  were  more  fre- 
quently held  in  Shrewsbury  where  the  larger  part  of  the 
membership  of  the  church  lived,  between  the  Manasquan  and 
Shark  rivers.  Here  the  church  voted,  March  3,  1775,  to  build 
a  meeting  house,  which  was  to  be  located  on  the  southwest 
corner  of  Zebulon  Maxson's  land,  lying  on  one  of  the  branches 
coming  out  of  the  branch  commonly  known  as  the  Great 
Branch,  "said  Zebulon  Maxson  having  given  his  free  consent 
thereunto." 

But  progress  was  slow.  On  October  27,  1776,  the 
building  had  advanced  far  enough  for  the  roof,  and  this  the 
church  voted  to  put  on  as  soon  as  possible.  The  records  of  the 
church  also  show  that  in  January,  1778,  a  sum  of  money  was 
raised  for  the  building  of  the  meeting  house. 

The  building  was  thirty  feet  by  thirty-two  feet,  built  with 
a  heavy  white  oak  frame,  which  at  the  present  writing  is  still 
in  excellent  condition. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1789,  the  church  sold  the  meeting 
house  to  a  man  by  the  name  of  Reed,  to  whom  the  members 
also  sold  their  farms;  and  a  few  weeks  afterward  the  majority 


36  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

of  the  families  of  the  church  set  out  "in  order  to  setle  in  the 
State  of  Verginey."^ 

The  meeting  house  now  passed  into  the  hands  of  strangers, 
and  for  a  period  of  forty  years  Httle  is  known  of  it?  history. 
About  the  year  1830,  it  was  used  by  the  Free  Methodists  as  a 
house  of  worship,  and  not  long  after  that  date  was  moved  from 
its  original  site  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Kirby  Farm, 
which  is,  at  the  date  of  this  writing,  owned  by  Bartine  Newman, 
Esq.,  to  a  point  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter  nearly  due 
northeast  towards  the  Shark  River,  up  on  top  of  the  hill  at  the 
cross  roads  now  known  as  Glendola,  where  it  served  as  a  Union 
Chapel,  and  was  used  chiefly  by  the  Free  Methodists,  Baptists, 
and  Universalists.  Here  it  stood  for  several  years  without 
floor  or  plastering,  with  many  of  the  clapboards  (weather- 
boards) oflf,  giving  free  access  to  the  birds  and  squirrels.  The 
seats  consisted  of  heavy  planks  or  slabs  with  two  holes  bored 
into  each  end,  and  into  the  holes  were  driven  stout  wooden 
pegs  a  foot  and  a  half  long,  which  served  as  legs. 

In  more  recent  years  the  meeting  house  was  purchased  by 
the  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  turned  so  that  it  faces  the 
east  instead  of  the  north,  and  is  now  used  as  a  house  of  worship 
by  that  church. 

Since  its  last  removal,  three  additions  have  been  made  to 
the  meeting  house.  The  first  adds  about  ten  feet  to  the  main 
body  of  the  church  in  front,  allowing  a  third  window  to  be  pu* 
in  on  each  side.  The  second  is  a  tower  about  ten  feet  square 
starting  from  the  ground,  at  the  middle  of  the  front  of  the  main 
body  of  the  building  and  terminating  in  a  spire.  The  third 
addition,  at  the  rear,  not  so  wide  as  the  main  body  of  the 
structure,  is  about  ten  feet  deep,  and  contains  the  pulpit  and 
choir  box.  A  gallery  extends  the  entire  length  of  the  main 
part  of  the  building  on  both  sides  and  across  the  front.- 

The  original  site  of  the  meeting  house  and  the  adjoining 
graveyard    is  overgrown    with    briers    and    bushes.     In    the 


1.  Sic;  verb,   et   lit. 

2.  A  visit  to  the  site  of  the  old  Shrewsbury  Church  August  2,  1903,  by  the 
author  of  this  book,  in  company  with  the  Reverend  Boothe  Colwell  Davis,  D.D., 
President  of  Alfred  University,  is  described  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  of  August 
17.    1903,   PP-   524-525- 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


37 


graveyard  but  a  single  tombstone  remains,    that   of    Hannah 
Davis,  and  that  is  not  in  its  original  position.^ 

DEATHS. 

"This  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  them  that  have  been 
removed  out  of  the  world  by  death : — 

"William  Davis,  the  Elder,  died  at  Manasquan  in  the  year  1745. 

"Joseph  Maxson  and  his  wife  died  near  at  a  time  in  the  year  1747. 

"Ruth  Babcock  died  at  Squankum,  1749. 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  v^^ife  of  John  Davis,  died  at  Squan,  in  April,  the 
year  175 i. 

"Bethiah  Davis  died  at  Middletown,  June  the  i8th,  1754. 

"John  Davis,  the  Elder,  died  at  Manasquan,  August  18,  1754. 

"Elisabeth  Davis,  wife  of  William  Davis,  the  Elder,  died  at 
Middletown,  about  the  year  1760. 

"Judith  Davis,  the  wife  of  James  Davis,  departed  this  life  May  the 
14th,  1773,  being  the  sixth  day  of  the  week  about  7  o'clock  in  the 
morning. 

"May  the  17th,  1776.     Then  deceased  Brother  John  Parker. 

"May  the  20th,  1776.     Then  deceased  Brother  John  Maxson. 

"March,  1777.     Brother  Joseph  Davis  departed  this  life. 

"Brother  James  Davis  departed  this  life  June  26,  1778. 

"Brother  Thomas  Davis  departed  this  life  February  2d,   1786. 

"Anna  Havens,  the  wife  of  John  Havens,  departed  this  life  May 
lOth,  1786. 

"Brother  Zebulon  Maxson  departed  this  life  September  8th,  1787." 

The  following  is  an  abstract  from  the  records  of  the 
Church  concerning  its  ministers : — 

1745.     William    Davis,    an    aged    minister     at     time     of 

organisation. 

Joseph  Maxson,  a  ministering  brother  at  time  of  organisation. 

John  Davis,  a  ministering  brother  at  time  of  organisation. 

June  19,  1746.  John  Davis  was  chosen  elder.  Arrangements  were 
made  at  this  meeting  to  send  him  to  Westerly  to  be  ordained  as  a 
minister,  and  Joseph  Maxson  was  appointed  to  write  a  letter  to  the 
church  at  Westerly  making  known  the  wishes  of  the  Shrewsbury 
Church.  Five  days  afterward,  John  Davis  took  this  letter  and  set 
sail  for  Westerly,  where  he  arrived  safely  after  a  week's  voyage.  Here 
the  letter  was  read  at  the  Sabbath  service  on  the  12th  of  July.     The 


The   inscription  on  this   tombstone   is  as   follows: 
Hannah 
Daughr  of  Nathan 
&  Anna   Davis   died 
March  ye  3d   1788 
aged  20   Years 
As   you   are   now   so   once   was    I 

In  health  and  strength   now  here  I  lie 
As   I   am   now  so   you   must  be 

Prepare   for  death  and  follow  me 


38  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Westerly  Church  voted  to  accede  to  the  request  of  the  Shrewsbury- 
Church;  and  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day,  John  Davis  was 
solemnly  ordained  to  the  sacred  duties  of  the  Gospel  ministry  by  Rev. 
Joseph  Maxson,  assisted  by  Rev.  John  Maxson,  and  Deacon  Clarke.^ 

November  ii,  1758.  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  baptized  Rebecca 
Brand. 

1760.     Joshua     Maxson     baptized      Joseph      Davis      of 

Middletown. 

June  27,  1773.  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church  Mary,  wife  of  Jacob  Davis. 

June  19,  1774.  Jacob  Davis  called  to  the  ministry  (licenced)  by 
the  church.  Called  to  ordination  December  25,  1774,  when  the  church 
voted  to  send  to  Piscataway  for  assistance  at  the  ordination  service. 
On  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  February  he  was  ordained  by  Rev.  Jonathan 
Dunham  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman. 

December  4,  1774.  Rev.  Henry  Dawson  baptized  John  Parker 
and  Mary  Maxson. 

September  24,  1775.  Simeon  Maxson,  who  had  virtually  been 
licenced  by  the  church  to  preach,  was  silenced  because  of  lack  of  har- 
mony between  him  and  the  church.  On  December  3d,  1775,  he 
acknowledged  to  the  church  that  he  had  been  in  error  concerning 
certain  of  his  views  relating  to  the  Eternal  Judgment,  but  he  declared 
that  he  would  continue  to  preach  despite  the  vote  of  silence  on  the 
part  of  the  church. 

September  8,  1776,  Simeon  Maxson  was  debarred  from  communion 
on  a  quadruple  charge : 

1st.     Of  non-attendance  at  church. 

2d.  The  declaration  that  his  brethren  and  sisters  in  the  church 
"are  the  children  of  the  Devil,  and  his  works  we  do,  and  that  the  Devil 
is  our  father." 

3d.     His  complaint  that  the  pastor  of  the  church  taught  carnal  w-ar. 

4th.  His  assertion  that  a  visitation  of  sickness  upon  the  church 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  members  of  the  church  joined  with  the 
carnal  war — (the  war  of  the  Revolution  was  then  in  progress). 

July  13,  1783.  Simeon  Maxson  confessed  his  fault  in  having 
spoken  against  the  pastor  and  thereby  "gave  satisfaction  to  the  church." 

September  14,  1788.  A  question  rose  as  to  whether  Henry  Laflferty 
should  be  silenced  or  given  an  extension  of  licence  to  preach. ^  It  was 
decided  to  allow  him  to  continue  to  preach. 

1.  Cf.  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial,  Vol.  II.,  No.  i,  p.  158.  Clarke 
says:  "I  find  by  the  church  records  of  Hopkinton,  that  in  June  2$,  1746,  one 
John  Davis  was  ordained  at  Westerly  by  request  of  the  brethren  at  Shrews- 
bury,  East   New  Jersey."     History   of  the  Sabbatarians,   p.   27. 

2.  His  name  was  really  McLaflferty.  He  was  born  in  Ireland.  He  came  to 
America  when  a  boy  as  a  "redemptioner."  He  spent  his  time  of  service  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Manasquan  River  with  a  salt  manufacturer,  probably  Thomas  Bab- 
cock,  whose  daughter  Elisabeth  afterwards  became  his  wife.  He  did  not 
accompany  or  follow  the  Shrewsbury  church  to  Virginia.  He  remained  at 
Shrewsbury  for  a  few  years  and  subsequently  became  the  pastor  of  the 
Piscataway  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church. 


X   -^ 


THE  SHREWSBURY  CHURCH 


39 


July  12,  1789.  Gideon  Day  confessed  that  a  letter  of  licence  to 
preach,  purporting  to  have  been  issued  by  a  people  on  a  "branch  of 
Wyoming,"  which  he  had  presented,  was  a  counterfeit,  and  that  he 
had  told  falsehoods  concerning  it.  He  was  placed  under  the  censure 
of  the  church. 

RULING  ELDERS. 

The  belief  and  practise  of  the  church  regarding  ruhng 
elders  varied  from  time  to  time.  The  action  of  the  church  on 
that  question  at  various  times  was  as  follows : — 

December  25,  1774.  "The  first  thing  in  consideration  is 
whether  it  is  not  thought  necessary  that  there  should  be  ruling 
elders  appointed  to  take  charge  in  part,  of  this  church,  and  to 
endeavour  to  go  to  any  brother  or  sister  out  of  the  way,  to 
admonish  them ;  and  likewise  it  was  thought  necessary  that 
some  persons  should  be  appointed  to  this  office  to  assist  the 
person  {sic;  parson  is  doubtless  meant],  or  minister,  and 
accordingly  Brother  Joseph  Maxson  of  Middletown,  and 
Thomas  Babcock  of  Shrewsbury,  is  appointed  to  this  work." 

May  14,  1786.  Henry  Lafferty  and  John  Davis  were 
appointed  ruling  elders. 

DEACONS. 

The  following  record  appears  concerning  deacons  of  the 
Shrewsbury  Church : — 

February,  1752.  Thomas  Babcock  and  Thomas  Davis  were 
appointed  deacons  by  the  church. 

June  19,  1774.     Ephraim  Maxson  was  chosen  deacon. 

December  25,  1774.     William  Davis  was  chosen  deacon. 

May  19,  1786.  It  was  voted  by  the  church  that  Ephraim  Maxson 
be  ordained  deacon. 

October  27,  1786.  Ephraim  Maxson  was  ordained  deacon,  with 
the  assistance  of  Rev.  William  Bliss,  of  Rhode  Island. 

MODERATOR. 

But  one  moderator  of  the  church  is  named  in  the  records 
of  the  church  before  it  left  Shrewsbury,  and  that  is  Thomas 
Davis,  who  was  elected  moderator  March  3,  I775- 

CLERK. 

The  records  of  the  church  do  not  contain  the  name  of  the 
church  clerk  until  after  the  church  had  left  Shrewsbury  and 
settled  at  New  Salem,  Virginia. 

CHURCH  MEETING  AND  COMMUNION  SERVICE. 

March  3,  1775.     The  church  voted  that  church  meeting 


40  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

should  be  held  the  last  First  Day  of  the  week  in  every  month, 
and  that  communion  service  should  occur  on  the  last  Sabbath 
in  November,  February,  May,  and  August,  respectively. 

March  3,  1776.  The  Quarterly  Meeting  was  changed  to 
the  third  Sabbath  in  February,  May,  and  August,  respectively; 
and  the  Yearly  Meeting  to  the  first  Sabbath  in  November. 

FAST  DAYS. 

A  day  of  fasting  and  prayer  was  appointed  about  the  year 
1750  to  relieve  William  Brand  from  the  gout. 

May  II,  1777.  The  church  voted  that  the  Fifth  Day  of 
the  week  preceding  communion  service,  should  be  a  public  fast 
day.  This  action  was  doubtless  inspired  by  the  troublous  times 
of  the  American  Revolution,  which  was  a  very  trying  period 
to  the  Shrewsbury  Church. 


III. 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA. 


^HAT  part  of  Western  Virginia,  now 
the  state  of  West  Virginia,  which  is 
occupied  by  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptists,  previous  to  its  occupation 
by  white  men,  had  been  the  home 
of  the  Mound  Builders  and  of  the 
pRV|s  %CS^     Indians.     It  Hes  but    a    few    miles 

T^«»««?«?«^««««^cT*     southeast  of  Moundsville,  now  one 

of  the  prominent  towns  of  West 
Virginia,  which  takes  its  name  from 
a  large  conical  mound  at  that  place.  This  mound  is  one  of  the 
noted  pre-historic  monuments  of  America.  When  it  was 
opened  in  1838,  there  was  found  a  sculptured  stone  covered 
with  unknown  characters,  which  J.  W.  Powell,  director  of  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Ethnology  describes  as  follows: — 
"Four  of  the  characters  correspond  to  the  ancient  Greek,  four 
to  the  Etruscan,  five  to  the  Norse,  six  to  the  Gaelic,  seven  to 
the  old  Erse,  and  ten  to  the  Phoenician."  While  these 
characters  are  generally  accepted  as  the  same  as  those  of  the 
Pelasgi  and  other  early  Mediterranean  people,  it  is  not  unlikelv 
that  ultimately  they  will  be  accepted  as  a  highly  refined  type  of 
the  pictorial  or  ideographic  characters  common  to  the  early 
inhabitants  of  North  America. 

This  mound  is  two  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  in  diameter 
at  the  base,  seventy-nine  feet  in  height,  in  shape  like  the 
frustum  of  a  cone,  with  a  flat  apex  fifty  feet  across.  Other 
similar  mounds  of  smaller  dimensions  have  been  found  in  the 
more  immediate  vicinity  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  West 
Virginia. 


42  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


INSCRIPTION    ON    STONE    TABLET    FROM    GREAT    MOUND    AT 
MOUNDSVILLE. 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


43 


All  that  part  of  the  state  which  lies  between  the  Little 
Kanawha  River  on  the  south,  and  the  present  site  of  the  city 
of  Wheeling  on  the  north,  and  bounded  on  the  east  by  the 
water-shed  which  divides  the  streams  flowing  west  directly  into 
the  Ohio  River,  from  those  flowing  east  into  the  waters  of  the 
Monongahela,  belonged  to  the  Mingo  Indians.  The  valley  of 
the  Monongahela  was  occupied  by  the  Delawares.  Both  of 
these  tribes  had  been  subdued  by  the  Six  Nations,  so  that  when 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  settled  here  a  century  and  more 
afterward,  they  found  themselves  amid  an  Indian  domination 
which  covered  the  whole  of  western  New  York,  western 
Pennsylvania,  and  western  Virginia  as  far  south  as  the 
Tennessee  River  and  westward  to  the  shores  of  Lake  Superior. 

The  mountainous  character  of  the  country  with  its  heavy 
forests  and  abundant  streams  of  water,  invited  game  in 
abundance  and  made  it  a  favourite  hunting  ground  for  many 
tribes  of  Indians.  Many  of  the  streams,  both  large  and  small, 
retain  to  this  day,  names  given  them  by  hunters  both  dusky 
and  pale  face,  on  account  of  the  game  which  was  to  be  found 
there.  The  Tis-kcl-zvah  of  the  Shawnees,  which  meant 
"River  of  Fat  Elk,"  became  the  Elk  River  of  the  white  hunter. 
The  Great  Kanazvha,  as  the  Delawares  called  it,  meant  "The 
Place  of  The  White  Stone."  The  Delawares  called  the  river 
on  which  they  lived  Monongahela,  meaning  "The  River  of 
Caving  Banks."  Of  the  smaller  streams  we  have  Meat  House 
Fork,  Buffalo  Calf,  Bear  Track,  Turkey  Track,  Turkey  Run, 
Snake  Run,  Wolf  Pen  Run,  Black  Lick,  Beach  Lick,  Raccoon, 
Hunters  Fork,  Lick  Run,  Georges  Camp,  Turtle  Tree,  etc. 
Curiously  enough,  Wheeling  Creek,  which  gives  its  name  to 
the  principal  city  of  the  state,  the  Indians  called  "Weeling," 
or  "The  Place  of  the  Skull,"  from  the  spherical  shape  of  the 
adjoining  hill. 

Into  this  wild  region  there  came  settlers  from  the  colonies 
of  Virginia,  Maryland,  South  Carolina,  Pennsylvania,  New 
Jersey,  and  even  from  New  England. 

The  first  white  men  who  saw  the  territory  of  the  present 
state  of  West  Virginia  were  John  Lederer  in  1669,  and  La 
Salle  in  the  same  year.  They  were  followed  by  an  expedition 
of  Governor  Spottswood  of  Virginia,  across  the  Blue  Ridge  in 


44  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

1716;  and  in  1725  John  Van  Matre,  a  Dutch  trader  from  New 
York,  visited  this  region  as  a  fur  trader. 

The  first  white  man  to  make  his  home  within  the  borders 
of  the  state  was  Morgan  Morgan,  who  settled  on  Mill  Creek, 
in  what  is  now  Berkeley  County,  in  1720.  He  was  followed 
within  a  very  few  years  by  a  large  number  of  other  settlers, 
who  very  soon  found  it  necessary  to  make  satisfactory 
arrangements  with  the  Six  Nations,  upon  whose  grounds  they 
were  encroaching.  Accordingly,  negotiations  were  initiated  at 
Lancaster,  Pennsylvania,  on  June  22,  1744,  and  concluded  on 
July  4,  of  the  same  year,  whereby  the  territory  lying  between 
the  Allegheny  Mountains  and  the  Ohio  River  was  peaceably 
ceded  to  the  English  for  four  hundred  pounds  sterling. 

The  first  white  man  to  explore  that  part  of  western 
Virginia  with  which  we  are  immediately  concerned,  was 
Christopher  Gist,  a  distinguished  surveyor  of  North  Carolina, 
who  was  sent  out  on  November  4,  175 1,  by  the  Ohio  Company 
to  explore  lands  lying  between  the  Monongahela  and  the  Great 
Kanawha  rivers.  On  the  basis  of  the  survey  made  by  Gist, 
who  reported  to  the  Ohio  Company  in  October,  1752,  the  Ohio 
Company  petitioned  for  a  grant,  which  was  to  include  the 
whole  of  the  territory  afterward  settled  by  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  of  western  Virginia.  By  the  terms  of  this  proposed 
grant,  the  Ohio  Company  was  to  erect  two  forts  at  once  and  to 
put  three  hundred  families  within  its  limits ;  but  the  French 
and  Indian  War  put  a  stop  to  this. 

About  1764  John  Simpson,  a  trapper  from  the  South 
Branch  of  the  Potomac  River,  visited  the  West  Fork  River 
at  the  mouth  of  Elk  Creek,  where  he  erected  a  cabin  and 
became  the  first  settler  in  this  part  of  the  country.  This  cabin 
was  the  first  home  of  a  white  man  on  the  present  site  of  the 
city  of  Clarksburg,  fourteen  miles  east  of  the  village  of  Salem 
in  Harrison  County.  This  was  but  twenty-five  years  before 
the  Shrewsbury  Church  abandoned  their  homes  in  New  Jersey 
for  western  Virginia. 

In  1770,  Colonel  George  Washington  visited  the  region  of 
the  Ohio  River  for  the  purpose  of  locating  lands  for  the 
veterans  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  who  were  entitled  to 
land  patents  under  Governor  Dinwiddle's  proclamation  of  1754. 
He  spent  a   month    in   surveying   upwards   of   one   hundred 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA  45 

thousand  acres,  when  he  completed  his  work  and  returned 
home.  There  exists  to-day  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  the 
Circuit  Court  of  Harrison  County  at  Clarksburg,  a  letter,  or 
surveyor's  memorandum,  of  George  Washington's,  which  was 
offered  as  evidence  in  a  suit  in  wdiich  the  title  of  some  of  these 
lands  was  in  dispute. 

When  the  War  of  the  Revolution  broke  out  in  1775,  the 
first  body  of  troops  enlisted  for  service  south  of  the  Potomac 
River,  was  a  company  of  western  Virginia  pioneers.  This 
company  was  assembled  under  the  command  of  Captain  Hugh 
Stevenson  at  Morgans  Spring,  in  what  is  now  Jefiferson 
County,  West  Virginia.  Their  flag  bore  the  name  of  their 
company,  "The  Minute  Alen,"  and  the  traditional  rattle-snake 
coiled  ready  to  strike,  under  which  was  inscribed  the  motto 
"Don't  Tread  On  Me."  The  centre  of  the  flag  was  marked  in 
huge  letters  with  the  legend  "Liberty  or  Death." 

They  wore  buck  tails  in  their  hats  and  carried  tomahawks 
and  scalping  knives  in  their  belts.  They  assembled  for 
departure  to  the  scene  of  action  on  the  17th  of  July,  1775. 
After  attending  religious  services,  and  partaking  of  a  repast, 
they  began  their  march  to  Boston. 

Western  Virginia  was  the  scene  of  many  bloody  acts  in 
this  war,  and  suffered  from  the  depredations  of  both  the 
Indians  and  the  British.     A  careful  historian  writes, 

"How  many  West  Virginians   served  during  this  war  we   do  not 
know,  but  certain  it  is  that  the  founders  of  our  state  [West  Virginia] 

were  represented  on  almost  every  battlefield  of  the  Revolution 

Of  all  the  American  States,  West  Virginia  stands,  in  point  of  service, 
next  to  the  original  colonies." 

Two  years  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  the 
village  of  Clarksburg  was  established  at  the  junction  of  Elk 
Creek  with  the  West  Fork  of  the  Monongahela  River. 
Morgantown  was  established  in  the  same  year.  In  this  year 
began  a  renewal  of  hostilities  on  the  part  of  the  Indians,  which 
continued  for  ten  years  afterward,  until  General  Wayne, 
popularly  known  as  "Mad  Anthony,"  was  put  in  command,  and 
waged  a  vigorous  campaign,  which  was  known  in  local  annals 
as  "Wayne's  War."  General  Wayne's  command  included 
Captain  Coburn's  company,  recruited,  partly  at  least,  from 
Harrison  county,  Virginia,  which  carried  upon  its  roll  some  of 
the  members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  New  Salem. 


46  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

General  Wayne  engaged  the  Indians  in  a  final  desperate 
struggle  at  the  Battle  of  Fallen  Timbers,  on  the  Maumee  River, 
August  20,  1794,  where  he  triumphed  over  them.  Indian  bar- 
barities soon  ceased  in  western  Virginia,  but  not  until  the 
mortality  from  their  atrocities  had  reached  an  appalling  total. 
It  is  claimed  that  as  many  as  one  thousand  families  of  western 
Virginia  alone  were  destroyed  by  savage  barbarities.^ 

The  first  literary  work  that  related  in  any  way  directly  to 
the  present  state  of  West  Virginia,  was  that  entitled  Notes  On 
The  State  of  Virginia,  by  Thomas  Jefferson,  first  published  in 
Paris,  France,  in  1784;  a  work  which  to  this  day  is  regarded 
as  an  authority. 

By  a  noteworthy  coincidence,  the  year  in  which  Jefferson's 
Notes  on  The  State  of  Virginia  was  published,  the  first 
steamboat  in  the  world  was  built  by  James  Rumsey  of 
Shepardstown  (now  in  West  Virginia),  on  the  Potomac 
River.-  Rumsey  was  a  blacksmith,  and  possessed  no  other 
tools  than  those  of  his  craft.  In  1786,  Rumsey  gave  an 
exhibition  of  his  boat  on  the  Potomac.  He  afterward  went  to 
London,  where  he  built  a  steamer,  and  where  he  died  on 
September  20,  1792.  He  was  buried  in  St.  Margaret's,  in 
Westminster  Abbey. 

At  the  time  of  the  ratification  of  the  Federal  Constitution, 
the  territory  of  the  present  state  of  West  Virginia  was 
comprised  in  seven  counties.  Those  of  Harrison  and 
Monongalia  included  the  subsequent  boundaries  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches. 

At  this  period  Daniel  Boone  was  a  familiar  figure  in 
western  Virginia,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years  ago  an  old 
flint-lock  rifle  barrel,  inscribed  with  the  name  of  Boone  and 
marked  with  a  number  of  notches  supposed  to  represent 
Indians  whom  Boone  had  scalped,  was  found  in  the  shop  of  a 
local    gun    maker,    S.    Todd    Sherwood,    of    Blandville,    in 


1.  A  writer  in  the  West  Virginia  Historical  Magazine,  Vol.  III.,  No.  4,  pp. 
303-304,  enumerates  twenty-two  separate  instances  of  Indian  depredations  in 
western  Virginia,  after  1789.  The  last  was  in  1794,  when  four  occurred,  one  of 
which  was  on  Hackers  Creek,  and  one  on  the  West  Fork. 

2.  It  was  not  until  three  years  afterward,  1787,  that  John  Fitch  launched  his 
first  steamboat  on  the  Delaware.  Robert  Fulton  built  his  first  steamboat  on  the 
Seine  in  France  in  1803,  four  years  before  he  launched  the  Clermont  on  the 
Hudson  River. 


MAP 


IN  H»l  C  H 

FIHE    DOTTBD     LINES ^HOji 

OF     EMIGRATION      FROM      Alc»Y    JEJ?SFy     AND 

ro  SXL^n  ..oUOST    CREEK, 

ifti  wEsr  ERA/    V  inoi  N  I  A , . 


aUKENTS 
MARVLA WD 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA  47 

Doddridge  County,  almost  within  the  sound  of  the  bell  of  the 
Middle  Island  Church.^ 

In  1789,  when  the  Shrewsbury  Church  started  for  New 
Salem,  the  number  of  counties  comprising-  the  present  state  of 
West  "Virginia  had  increased  to  nine,  which,  at  the  time  West 
Virginia  was  organised  as  a  state  and  admitted  into  the  Union 
in  1863,  had  reached  fifty  in  number.  At  the  present  time 
there  are  fifty-five  counties  in  the  state.  The  counties  in  which 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  are  now  located,  or  have  been 
located,  number  six  as  follows  : —  Braxton,  Doddridge,  Gilmer, 
Harrison,  Lewis,  and  Ritchie ;  but  the  church  membership  has 
extended  into  the  counties  of  Barbour,  Lewis,  Monongalia, 
Roane,  Upshur,  Webster,  and  Wood,  besides. 

As  previously  stated,  the  territory  occupied  by  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  churches  of  West  Virginia  all  lies  between  the 
Ohio  River  on  the  west,  and  the  Monongahela  River  with  its 
branches  on  the  east.  A  deed  for  this  territory  was  made  by 
the  Six  Nations  of  Indians  to  William  Trent  and  others, 
November  3,  1768,  twenty-one  years  previous  to  the  setting  out 
of  the  Church  from  Shrewsbury,  Monmouth  County,  New 
Jersey,  for  the  state  of  Virginia,  in  September,  1789.- 

This  church  gives  us  no  record  of  its  history  from  that 
time  until  the  13th  of  May,  1792,  nearly  three  years  afterward. 
In  the  meantime,  they  had  in  all  probability  gone  in  a  very 
leisurely  manner,  through  Pennsylvania,  stopping  at  various 
places  with  friends  and  acquaintances,  and  possibly  some  of 
their  number  settling  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  present 
county  of  Fayette,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Woodbridgetown  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of  that  county. 
Thence  they  crossed  over  the  Cheat  River  into  western 
Virginia,  some  settling  for  the  time  being  on  White  Day  Creek 
in  Monongalia  County,  and  later  the  most  of  them  making 
their  way  across  the  Monongahela,  following  up  the  West  Fork 
of  that  river,  thence  up  the  Ten  Mile  Creek  branch  of  the  West 
Fork  River  to  the  head  waters  of  the  Middle  Fork  of  Ten  Mile 
Creek.  Here  lay  a  tract  of  land  which  had  been  surveyed  on 
the  20th  of  January,  1786,  for  Joseph  Swearingen,  the  son  of 


1.  This  discovery  was  made  by  James  E.  Robinson  about  the  year   1883. 

2.  This    deed    relinquished   certain    claims    set   up   by    the    Indians   subsequent 
to   the   Treaty   of   Lancaster,   under   date   of  July,    1744. 


48  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Catharine  Swearingen/  whose  husband,  John  Swearingen,  had 
been  adjudged  owner  of  this  land  by  the  commissioners 
appointed  for  adjusting  the  claims  to  unpatented  lands  in  the 
District  of  West  Augusta,  comprising  the  counties  of  Monon- 
galia,   Yohogania,    and    Ohio-  and  who  had  issued  to  John 

1.  Catharine  Swearingen  was  registered  as  a  slave  holder  from  Spring  Hill 
Township,  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  prior  to  1803,  in  conformity  with  the 
requirements  of  a  law  passed  in  1780.  Ellis,  History  of  Fayette  County, 
Pennsylvania,  p.  128. 

2.  In  October,  1776,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia 
fixed  the  boundaries  of  the  District  of  West  Augusta  as  follows: — 

"Beginning  on  the  Allegheny  Mountain,  between  the  heads  of  Potowmack, 
Cheat,  and  Greenbrier  rivers  [said  to  be  Haystack  Knob,  now  at  the  north-east 
corner  of  Pocahontas  County]  thence  along  the  ridge  of  mountains  which  divides 
the  waters  of  Cheat  River  from  those  of  Greenbrier,  and  that  branch  of  the 
Monongahela  River,  called  the  Tyger's  [Tygart's]  Valley  River  to  Monongahela 
River,  thence  up  the  said  river  and  the  West  Fork  thereof,  to  Bingerman's 
[Bingamon]  creek,  on  the  north-west  side  of  said  fork,  thence  up  the  said  creek 
to  the  head  thereof,  thence  in  a  direct  line  to  the  head  of  Middle  Island  Creek, 
a  branch  of  the  Ohio,  and  thence  to  the  Ohio,  including  all  the  said  waters  of  said 
creek,  in  the  aforesaid  district  of  West  Augusta,  all  that  territory  lying  to  the 
northward  of  said  boundary,  and  to  the  westward  of  the  States  of  Pennsylvania 
and  Maryland,  shall  be  deemed,  and  is  hereby  declared,  to  be  within  the  District 
OF  West  \vgvst.k." .  .History  of  Monongalia  County,  West  Virginia.  By  Samuel 
T.  Willey,  Kingwood,  W.  Va.  1883.     Pp.  47-48. 

By  the  same  act  which  created  the  District  of  West  Augusta,  the  boundaries 
of  the  counties  of  Ohio,   Yohogania,   and  Monongalia,   were  fixed   as   follows: — 

"And  to  render  the  benefits  of  government,  and  the  administration  of  justice, 
more  easy  and  convenient  to  the  people  within  the  said  district  [West  Augusta] : — 

"Be  it  therefore  enacted  by  the  authority  aforesaid.  That  from  and  after  the 
8th  day  of  November  [1776]  next  ensuing,  all  that  part  of  said  district  [of  West 
Augusta]  lying  within  the  following  lines;  to  wit,  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of 
Cross  Creek,  thence  up  the  same  to  the  head  thereof,  thence  eastwardly  to  the 
nearest  part  of  the  ridge  which  dividss  the  waters  of  the  Ohio  from  those  of  the 
Monongahela,  thence  along  the  said  ridge  to  the  line  which  divides  the  county  of 
Augusta  from  the  said  district,  thence  with  the  said  boundary  to  the  Ohio,  thence 
lap  the  same  to  the  beginning,  shall  be  one  distinct  county,  and  be  called  and 
known  by  the  name  of  Ohio; 

"And  all  that  part  of  the  said  district  [of  West  Augusta]  lying  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  following  lines;  viz.,  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  Cross  Creek, 
and  running  up  its  several  courses  to  the  head  thereof,  thence  south-eastwardly  to 
the  nearest  part  of  the  aforesaid  dividing  ridge  between  the  waters  of  the 
Monongahela  and  the  Ohio,  thence  along  the  said  ridge  to  the  head  of  Ten  Mile 
Creek,  thence  east  to  the  road  leading  from  Cat  Fish  Camp  to  Red  Stone  Old 
Fort,  thence  along  the  said  road  to  the  Monongahela  River,  thence  crossing  the 
said  river  to  the  said  fort,  thence  along  Dunlap's  old  road  to  Braddock's  road, 
and  with  the  same  to  the  meridian  of  the  head  fountain  of  Potowmack,  shall  be 
one  other  distinct  county,  and  be  called  and  known  by  the  name  of  Yohogania 
County; 

"And  all  that  part  of  the  said  district  [of  West  Augusta]  lying  to  the  north- 
ward of  the  county  of  Augusta,  to  the  westward  of  the  meridian  of  the  head 
fountain  of  the  Potomack,  to  the  southward  of  the  county  of  Yohogania,  and  to 
the  eastward  of  the  county  of  Ohio  shall  be  one  other  distinct  county,  and  shall 
be  called  and  known  by  the  name  of  the  county  of  Monongalia."  Ibidem,  pp. 
50-5I- 

(3) 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


49 


riAr 

SHOWIMa  DiSTKiCr  OF     ""^ -.^      ,-  ,   ,. 

WEST    AUGUSTA     "lo^^'^VV"'^ 

AND  THE  COUNTIES  OF  'Xr--- V' 

NIOMNGALIA,  0HIO,Am\0H0GANlA 

/\S  ESTABLISHED    BYTHC  GEHCR A L   ASSEMBLY  IN    /776 

Di?*wM   PROM  /(V/*lL»StE    D/lT/f,  BVCO/JLISS  F"  RANDOLPH:,    IIOiT 

mm^mm^amm    £  Old    BOUNO/AT?  IE  S 

.- -^NB =  PReSENT  BQ^NDARlSa. 


50         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Swearingen  a  certificate  of  right  of  residence.^  Of  this  tract 
of  four  hundred  acres,  two  hundred  and  fifty-six  acres,  extend- 
ing for  a  mile  and  a  half  along  the  valley  and  embracing  the 
most  of  the  present  village  of  Salem,-  was  sold  in  turn  by 
Catharine  Swearingen  on  the  26th  of  November,  1790,  to 
Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  who 
bonded  himself  in  the  sum  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-two 
pounds,  ten  shillings,  and  five  pence,  \"irginia  money,  for  its 
payment.^ 

.  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  himself  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  of 
Puritan  descent,  had  formerly  resided  in  the  town  of 
Piscataway,  Middlesex  County,  New  Jersey,  where  he  was 
born  in  October,  1738.  After  service  in  the  Revolutionary 
War  as  ensign  in  the  Second  Regiment  of  Militia  of  Sussex 
County,  New  Jersey,  he  had  become  interested  in  lands  in 
Pennsylvania.  This  was  probably  due  to  the  influence  of 
Major  Benjamin  Stites  of  Redstone,  Fayette  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  in  the  winter  of  1786,  visited  New  York,  where 
Congress  was  at  that  time  in  session,  for  the  purpose  of  pur- 
chasing a  tract  of  land  lying  between  the  two  Miamis  in  Ohio. 


1.  "We,  the  Commissioners  for  adjusting  the  claims  of  unpatented  lands  in 
the  counties  of  Monongalia,  Yohogania,  &  Ohio,  hereby  certify  that  John  Swear- 
ingen, Sen'r.,  is  entitled  to  four  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Monongalia  County, 
on  Ten  Mile  Creek,  a  branch  of  the  West  Fork,  at  Nicholas  Carpenter's  Camp,  in 
the  right  of  residing  &  making  corn  in  said  county  before  the  year   1778. 

"Given  under  our  hands,  at  Colo.  John  Evans's,  this  25th  day  of  April,  1781. 
"Teste.   VVm.   McCleery,   Cl'k. 

"John    P.    Duvall, 
"James    Neal, 
"Wm.   Haymond." 
"Memorandum. 

"This  certificate  cannot  be  entered  with  the  Surveyor  after  the  14th  day  of 
July,    1 781." 

"Entered   May   the    ist.,    1781." 

2.  Settlement  had  been  made  at  New  Salem,  under  the  name  of  Carpenter's 
Camp,  (and  near  by  it  was  Hezekiah  Davisson's)  as  early  as  1772.  Clearly,  Davis- 
son's  settlement  was  made  merely  for  entry  or  pre-emption  rights,  as  he  entered 
several  thousands  of  acres  of  land  in  that  vicinity.  Carpenter  entered  but  a  few 
hundreds. 

3.  The  tract  of  land  sold  to  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  was  surveyed  January  20, 
1786,  for  Joseph  Swearingen,  heir  of  John  Swearingen. 

The  boundaries  were  as  follows:  "Beginning  at  a  poplar  on  the  north  bank 
of  said  [Ten  Mile]  Creek,  and  running  thence  S  3  W,  105  poles  crossing  the 
creek  to  a  poplar;  S  46  W,  140  [poles]  to  a  gum;  N  50  W,  148  [poles]to  a  white 
oak;  S  79  W,  232  [poles]  to  a  poplar;  N  20  W,  86  [poles]  crossing  the  creek 
to  a  hickory;  N  70  E,  88  [poles]  to  a  white  oak;  N  84  E,  396  to  the  beginning. 
Variation  30  min.  east." 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


51 


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52  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

He  interested  John  Cleves  Symmes/  a  representative  in 
Congress  from  New  Jersey,  whose  aid  he  soHcited  in  his  efforts 
to  effect  his  proposed  purchase.-  Symmes  became  so  favour- 
ably impressed  with  the  reports  of  this  country,  that  he  visited 
it  himself  and  purchased  a  million  acres  of  land  lying  between 
the  Great  and  Little  Miamis.^  Symmes  soon  afterard  sold 
ten  thousand  (10,000)  acres  to  Major  Stites,  who  led  the  first 
party,  some  eighteen  or  twenty  in  number,  to  settle  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Little  Miami,  in  November,  1788.*  Other 
parties  followed,  starting  a  movement  from  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  and  New  England,  by  way  of  the  Redstone  Country,  to 
this  section. 5  It  was  this  movement  which  drew  the  little 
Church  of  Shrewsbury  into  its  current  and  carried  it  along  as 
far  as  the  Redstone  Country,  whence  it  was  deflected  south 
into  Virginia. 

Sometime  before  the  departure  of  the  church  from 
Shrewsbury,  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  had  purchased  of  Mary 
Hodgson  three  hundred  acres  of  land  situated  on  Yellow  Creek 
of  Armstrong  Township  of  Westmoreland  County,  Pennsyl- 
vania. This  purchase  was  effected  on  the  i6th  of  April,  1785, 
and  the  land  lay  a  little  to  the  north  .of  Redstone. 
On  November  21,  1785,  he  purchased  eight  hundred  acres  of 
land  to  be  selected  by  himself  from  a  tract  of  five  thousand 
acres  owned  by  Robert  ]\Iartin,  situated  in  the  town  of 
Northumberland  in  the  county  of  Northumberland,  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  Northumberland  tract,  from  the  description 
contained  in  the  deed,  evidently  was  entirely  virgin  forest; 
while  upon  the  three  hundred  acres  in  the  south-western  part 
of  the  state,  had  been  built  a  dwelling  house  and  several  farm 
buildings,  and  the  land  was  at  least  partly  under  cultivation. 
Here  he  went  to  make  his  home  sometime  between  November 
21,  1785,  and  November  26,  1790.     At  the  time  of  his  purchase 


1.  John  [Cleves(?)]  Symes  made  an  entry  settlement  on  the  Cheat  River  in 
1774,  but  afterward  assigned  the  claim. 

2.  John  Cleves  Symes  was  appointed  a  judge  of  one  of  the  courts  of  the 
North- West  Territory,  January  6,  1787.  He  was  again  appointed  to  a  similar 
position,  August  20,  1789.  Cf.  Burnet's  Notes  on  the  Early  Settlement  of  the 
North-lVestern  Territory,  pp.  38  and  40. 

3.  He  first  applied  for  two  million   (2,000,000)   acres.     Cf.  ibidem,  p.  490. 

4.  For  the  essential   documents  in  this  grant,  cf.   ibidem,  pp.  481-496. 

5.  The  Redstone  Country  was  a  general  name  for  what  is  now  the  south- 
western corner  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  northern  part  of  West  Virginia.- 
Redstone,   proper,  corresponds  to  what  is  now  Brownsville,   Pennsylvania. 


~    '■1 


H     C^  J- 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA  53 

of  the  land  at  New  Salem,  he  was  beyond  question  a  resident 
of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania. 

Although  the  Six  Nations  had  formally  relinquished  all 
claim  to  western  Virginia  in  1768,  they  continued  their 
depredations  until  the  summer  of  1795.  It  appears  that 
immigration  from  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  the  south- 
western part  of  Pennsylvania,  into  western  Virginia  and  Ohio, 
had  excited  anew  the  jealousy  of  the  Indians,  who  became 
more  than  ordinarily  troublesome  in  the  fall  of  1791. 
Accordingly  three  detachments  of  soldiers,  aggregating  nearly 
five  hundred  regulars,  were  sent  to  the  defence  of  these 
settlers. 

The  new  settlers  on  Ten  Mile  Creek  built  for  themselves 
a  block-house  within  the  limits  of  the  present  village  of  Salem, 
and  protected  themselves  as  best  they  could  against  unexpected 
attacks  of  the  savages.  They  were,  however,  outside  of  the 
usual  trails  of  the  Indians,  who  seemed  disposed  to  follow  the 
larger  water  courses ;  and  as  Salem  is  at  the  crown  of  the 
water-shed  which  sends  its  waters  on  the  one  hand  west 
directly  into  the  Ohio,  and  on  the  other  hand  east  into  the 
waters  of  the  Monongahela,  it  does  not  seem  to  have  been 
threatened  by  large  bodies  of  Indians,  except  on  rare 
occasions.  Twice,  however,  our  colonists  were  in  great  peril. 
Once  was  on  the  occasion  of  a  trip  made  by  Nicholas  Carpenter 
from  the  Redstone  Country  to  Marietta  with  a  drove  of  cattle, 
when  a  band  of  Indians  who  had  crossed  the  Ohio  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Little  Kanawha  and  were  moving  towards  the 
settlements  on  the  West  Fork  River,  on  striking  the  trail  of 
Carpenter's  cattle,  were  drawn  aside  from  the  real  purpose  of 
their  expedition.  This  was  in  September,  1791.  The  other 
occasion  was  in  July,  1794,  when  there  were  two  attacks  made 
upon  the  settlement  of  the  West  Fork  River.  Soon  after  this 
time.  General  Wayne  advanced  upon  the  Indians'  country,  his 
force  being  augmented  from  time  to  time  by  volunteers  from 
among  the  settlers,  among  whom  were  included  some  from  the 
New  Salem  settlement,  as  previously  recorded. 

In  the  summer  of  1795,  occurred  the  last  invasion  of  this 
country  by  the  Indians,  when  they  murdered  three  or  four 
victims,  took  three  prisoners,  and  returned  to  their  towns  in 
time  to  surrender  their  captives  to  General  Wayne.     Wayne's 


54       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

treaty  with  the  Indians  at  Greenville  on  August  3,  1795,  forever 
freed  north-western  Virginia  from  Indian  terrors. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  this  part  of  north-western 
Virginia  was  the  theatre  of  the  action  of  the  celebrated  Indian 
chief  Tecumseh,  who  is  said  to  have  been  born  on  Hackers 
Creek  near  the  mouth  of  Jesse's  Run,  only  twenty  or  thirty 
miles  distant  from  the  Ten  Mile  settlement ;  that  here  was  the 
scene  of  the  activities  of  Logan  and  Girty;  that  Cornstalk,  the 
renowned  king  of  the  Northern  Confederacy  of  Indians, 
conducted  many  of  his  bloody  campaigns  in  this  region ;  and 
when  we  remember,  too,  that  New  Salem  was  but  a  short 
distance  from  the  scenes  of  such  wanton  murders  of  friendlv 
Indians  by  cruel  white  men,  as  the  murder  of  Logan's  family 
by  Daniel  Greathouse  and  Joshua  Baker  ;^  of  the  Bald  Eagle  by 
Jacob  Scott,  William  Hacker,  and  Elijah  Runner;  and  that  of 
Captain  Bull,  the  Delaware  chief  of  the  Indian  village  of 
Bulltown,  on  the  Little  Kanawha,  by  William  White,  William 
Hacker,  and  probably  Jesse  Hughes,  John  Cutright,  and  others  ; 
not  to  mention  still  others  equally  well  known  in  the  annals  of 
border  warfare,  we  can  appreciate  to  a  slight  extent,  at  least, 
the  dangers  with  which  this  country  abounded  at  the  time  when 
the  settlement  was  made  at  Nicholas  Carpenter's  Camp  on  Ten 
Mile  Creek.  The  new  settlers  were  by  no  means  strangers, 
however,  to  the  perils  and  treacherous  methods  of  Indian 
warfare.  Their  former  homes  in  New  Jersey  had  been 
situated  almost  literally  upon  the  very  battlefields  of  the 
Revolution,  where  the  Indians  had  sustained  their  well-earned 
reputation  for  the  violation  of  all  the  laws  of  warfare  among 
civilised  nations. 

Although  the  new-comers  built  a  blockhouse — the  common 
type  of  fort  for  protection  against  the  Indians, — there  is  no 
available  evidence  that  the  Indians  did  their  new  pale-face 
neighbours  any  harm.  On  the  other  hand,  the  evidence  all 
seems  to  be  to  the  contrary.  Dr.  Isaiah  Bee  of  Princeton, 
West  Virginia,  a  great-grandson  of  both  the  William  Davises 
who  emigrated  from  Shrewsbury,  says  that  his  great-grand- 
father, William  Davis,  called  "Greenbrier  Billy,"  from 
Greenbrier  Run  the  name  of  the  stream  on  which  he  settled  in 


1.     This  murder  was  long  ascribed  to  Michael  Cresap,  who  it  is  now  known, 
was  innocent  of  the  charge. 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA  55 

Virginia,  in  contra-clistinction  from  the  other  Wihiam  Davis 
who  was  called  "Jarsey  Billy,"  told  him  (Dr.  Bee)  then  a  lad 
of  eight  or  nine  years,  that  "an  Indian  chief  said  to  the  people 
at  the  fort  at  New  Salem,  that  they  were  so  careless  that  they 
(the  Indians)  could  have  killed  them  all,  had  they  wanted  to  do 
so.  But  as  they  wore  shoes  and  coats,  the  Indians  knew  they 
were  from  Pennsylvania  or  New  Jersey  and  were  friends.  Had 
they  worn  moccasins  and  hunting  shirts,  they  would  not  have 
left  one  alive  in  the  fort."  Dr.  Bee  further  states  that  he  himself 
remembers  an  old  lady  by  the  name  of  Childers,  nee  Richards, 
of  Meat  House  Fork,  saying  that  she  stood  on  a  stump  and 
saw  the  Indians  scalp  her  father.  This  incident,  together  with 
others  recorded  by  such  authorities  as  Withers  in  his 
Chronicles  of  Border  Warfare,  and  Drake  in  his  Aboriginal 
Races  of  North  America,  shows  that  the  Indians  were  active  in 
their  bloody  pursuits  in  the  locality  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  even  after  their  arrival  at  their  new  homes.  Fear  of  the 
Indians  caused  them  all  to  build  their  cabins  in  a  cluster  near  to 
their  blockhouse,  and  when  they  went  out  to  labour  in  their 
fields,  they  all  went  together  after  the  custom  prevailing  in 
frontier  settlements,  taking  turns  in  doing  each  other's  work. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  at  one  time  a  detachment  of  soldiers 
occupied  the  fort  at  New  Salem  in  defence  of  the  settlers  ;  al- 
though this  tradition  is  unsupported  by  available  documentary 
evidence,  it  is  none  the  less  likely  that  it  is  true,  as  it  is  an  estab- 
lished fact  that  the  village  of  New  Salem  was  represented  in 
the  company  of  Captain  Coburn,  an  Indian  fighter  and  scout  of 
local  reputation,  who  it  will  be  remembered  fought  under 
General  Wayne  at  the  Battle  of  Fallen  Timber?  on  the 
Maumee. 

Within  a  few  years  after  the  arrival  of  John  Simpson  at 
the  mouth  of  Elk  Creek,  he  was  followed  by  a  considerable 
number  of  settlers,  among  whom  were  many  famous  Indian 
fighters.  One  of  these  was  Daniel  Davisson,  who  held  the 
title  for  the  land  upon  which  the  greater  part  of  the  city  of 
Clarksburg  now  stands.  His  wife  was  a  niece  of  Aaron  Burr, 
whose  political  intrigues  formed  upon  the  beautiful  Island  of 
Blennerhassett  in  the  Ohio  River,  some  eighty  miles  to  the 


56  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

west  of  Clarksburg,  are  so  conspicuous  in  the  early  history  of 
the  Government  of  the  United  States.^ 

Others  came  attracted  by  the  natural  resources  of  the 
country.  Among  these  was  Nicholas  Carpenter  from  Red- 
stone, now  Brownsville,  in  the  south-western  corner 
of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  had  extensive  grazing  lands  for 
cattle.  Without  disposing  of  his  Redstone  lands,  he 
established  a  home  at  Clarksburg;  and  when  Harrison  County 
was  organised  in  1784,  he  became  one  of  the  county's  first  two 
coroners,  and  a  member  of  the  first  county  court.  When  the 
town  of  Clarksburg  was  established  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  passed  in 
October,  1785,  Nicholas  Carpenter  became  one  of  its  first 
trustees. - 

About  the  time  that  Nicholas  Carpenter  came  to  Clarks- 
burg, he  established  a  camp  fourteen  miles  west  of  Clarksburg 
on  the  Middle  Fork  of  Ten  Mile,  which  he  called  Nicholas 
Carpenter's  Camp.  Carpenter's  name  is  perpetuated  by  a  tiny 
stream  in  the  village  of  Salem,  close  by  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church,  which  to  this  day  is  known  as  Carpenter's 
Run. 

This  camp  was  established  probably  for  hunting  and  trap- 
ping, for  the  country  abounded  in  game,  such  as  buffalo,  elk, 
deer,  bear,  wolves,  wild  turkeys,  and  numerous  smaller  game,^ 
also  for  prospecting  and  surveying;  and  as  a  station  on  the 
road  to  the  Ohio  River,  for  Nicholas  Carpenter  was  a  trader  in 
cattle  and  other  commodities.  In  fact  it  was  on  one  of  his 
trips  in  driving  cattle  to  Marietta,  in  September,  179 1,  that  he 
lost  his  life  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians  who  attacked  his  party 
and  tomahawked  both  him  and  his  son. 


1.  Joseph  Johnson,  a  distinguished  governor  of  Virginia,  from  1852  to  1856, 
locally  reputed  to  have  been  a  natural  son  of  Aaron  Burr,  lived  at  Bridgeport, 
five  miles  east  of  Clarksburg,  whither  he  removed  in  company  with  his  mother, 
from  New  York,  in  1801,  until  his  death  on  February  27,  1877,  in  the  92d  year 
of  his  age. 

2.  In  1797,  the  American  Gaseteer,  published  in  Boston,  by  Jedidiah  Morse, 
says  that  Clarksburg  "contains  about  40  houses,  a  court  house  and  jail."  Cf. 
Transallegheny   Historical  Magazine.     Vol.   I.,   No.    i,   p.    106. 

3.  "As  late  as  1825,  buffalo  were  killed  near  the  source  of  the  Tygarts 
Valley  River.  In  1843,  elk  were  killed  on  a  branch  of  the  Cheat  River,  near 
where  the  town  of  Davis  now  stands;  they  did  not  wholly  disappear  from  the 
present  boundaries  of  West  Virginia  until  some  fifteen  or  twenty  years  afterward." 
Transallegheny  Historical  Magazine.     Vol.  I.,  No.  2,  p.  200. 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


57 


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58       SEVENTH  DAY   BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Carpenter  established  his  camp  on  the  tract  of  land  which, 
as  has  been  pointed  out,  was  conveyed  by  the  heirs  of  Joseph 
Swearingen  to  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  on  the  26th  of 
November,  1790.  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  continued  as  a 
resident  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained 
an  active  member  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of 
Woodbridgetown,  Pennsylvania,  of  wdiich  church  he  and  his 
wife  were  two  of  the  four  constituent  members  at  its  first 
organisation  November  8,  1789;  and  did  not  remove  to  his 
new  home  in  Virginia,  until,  according  to  the  records  of  that 
church,  after  May  10,  1792. 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  laid  out  a  part  of  his  land  purchased 
from  Joseph  and  Catharine  Swearingen  into  streets  and  lots  in 
the  form  of  a  town.  The  town  was  somewhat  in  the  form  of 
a  sort  of  truncated  triangle,  with  its  base  to  the  west,  and  its 
apex  to  the  eastward.  The  town  contained  five  streets, — a 
main  street  running  nearly  east  and  west,  with  two  others 
parallel  to  it,  and  two  shorter  streets  at  the  west  end  of  the 
town  running  parallel  to  each  other  and  at  right  angles  to  the 
main  street.  The  lots  were  divided  into  two  classes :  "in"  lots 
and  "out"  lots,  the  former  fronting  on  the  streets,  the  latter 
bordering  on  the  boundaries  of  the  town  away  from  the  streets, 

A  block-house  was  erected  near  the  centre  of  the  town, 
where  the  inhabitants  could  take  refuge  in  times  of  danger 
from  the  Indians. 

The  church  and  graveyard  were  located  on  the  hillside  at 
the  northern  terminus  of  the  longer  .cross  street,  which  was  the 
further  west,  but  a  few  rods  from  the  home  of  the  founder, 
Samuel  Fitz  Randolph. 

The  town  was  established  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  as  appears  from 
the  following  extract  from  its  Session  Laws  for  1794;  viz., 

"Chapter  44. — An  Act  for  Establishing  Several  Towns. 
"Passed  December  19,  1794. 
"Be  it  Enacted  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  the  lots  and 
streets  as  the  same  are  already  laid  off  on  the  lands  of  Samuel  Fitz 
Randolph,  in  the  County  of  Harrison,  shall  be,  and  are  hereby  estab- 
lished a  town,  by  the  name  of  'New  Salem,'  and  John  Patterson,  John 
Davis,  Samuel  Lippincott,  James  Davis,  Zebulon  Maxson,  Benjamin 
Thorp,  Thomas  Clayton,  William  Davis,  Jacob  Davis,  George  Jackson, 


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WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


59 


and  John  Haymond,  gentlemen,  constituted  and  appointed  trustees 
thereof." 

"Sec.  9. — The  trustees  of  the  said  towns,  respectively,  or  a  majority 
of  them,  are  empowered  to  make  such  rules  and  orders  for  the  regular 
building  of  houses  therein  as  to  them  shall  seem  best,  and  to  settle  and 
determine  all  disputes  concerning  the  bounds  of  the  said  lots. 

"Sec.  10. — If  the  purchaser  of  any  lot  in  either  of  the  said  towns, 
shall  fail  to  build  thereon  within  the  time  limited  for  that  purpose  by 
their  respective  deeds  of  conveyance,  the  trustees  of  the  said  town  may 
thereupon  enter  into  such  lot,  and  sell  the  same  again,  and  apply  the 
money  for  the  benefit  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  town. 

"Sec.  II. — In  case  of  the  death,  resignation,  or  removal  out  of  the 
county  of  one  or  more  of  the  trustees  of  the  said  towns  respectively,  the 
vacancy  thereby  occasioned  shall  be  supplied  by  the  remaining  trustees 
or  a  majority  of  them;  and  the  person  so  elected,  shall  have  the  same 
power  and  authority  as  if  he  had  been  particularly  named  in  this  act." 

"Commonwealth  of  Virginia: — 

"I,  D.  Q.  Eggleston,  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia, 
certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  copy  of  an  Act  passed  by  the  General 
Assembly  of  Virginia,  December  19,  1794,  entitled  An  Act  For 
Establishing  Several  Towns,  of  record  in  this  office. 

"Given  under  my  hand,  at  Richmond,  this  5th  day  of  December, 

1902,  A.  D. 

"D.  Q.  Eggleston, 
"Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth." 

Of  the  foregoing  trustees,  William  Davis,  John  Davis, 
Jacob  Davis,  Zebulon  ^laxson,  and  Benjamin  Thorp,  were  of 
those  who  in  September,  1789,  had  set  out  from  their  homes 
in  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey,  "in  order  to  settle  in  the  State  of 
Virginia." 

Just  why  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  called  this  village  New 
Salem  is  not  wholly  certain.  There  is  a  well  defined  tradition 
that  it  was  so-called  for  Salem,  in  the  southern  part  of  New 
Jersey,  with  which  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  as  well  as  some  of 
the  members  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church,  may  have  been  more 
or  less  intimately  connected,  on  account  of  family  ties;  and 
the  present  writer  is  inclined  to  accept  that  as  the  true 
explanation,  but  conclusive  documentary  evidence  in  support  of 
that  theory  is  not  available.^ 

Here  in  the  town  of  New  Salem,  the  new  settlers  made 


I.  There  is  a  village  by  the  name  of  New  Salem  in  the  township  of  Menallen, 
in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  which  was  laid  out  into  a  village  of  sixty  lots 
on  August  17,  1799,  by  David  Arnold.  Why  it  was  called  New  Salem  is  not 
known.     Ellis,  History  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  p.   658. 


6o       SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

their  homes  for  the  purpose  of  security  from  the  Indians.  In 
the  meantime,  they  selected  and  purchased  farms  in  the 
vicinity  which  they  cleared  and  tilled  as  best  they  could  under 
the  circumstances,  since  the  necessity  previously  pointed  out, 
for  mutual  protection  from  their  red-faced  foes,  which 
required  them  when  they  went  out  to  do  their  farm  work,  to  go 
in  groups  of  several  each,  working  one  another's  farms  in 
successive  order,  naturally  militated  greatly  against  the  best 
interests  of  the  crops. 

As  soon  as  they  felt  that  it  would  be  safe  to  do  so,  they 
moved  to  their  farms.  Then  they  began  to  extend  the  limits 
of  their  settlement  over  a  larger  range  of  country.  The 
Middle  Fork  of  Ten  Mile  Creek  was  occupied  from  its  very 
head  to  its  mouth  at  the  West  Fork  River.  Several  of  its 
tributaries,  as  well  as  Lamberts  Run  which  flows  into  the  West 
Fork  a  short  distance  further  up  the  West  Fork  River  towards 
Clarksburg,  supplied  homes  for  several  of  the  families  of  the 
new  immigration. 

Some  passed  west  of  New  Salem  to  Long  Run,  Buckeye 
Run,  Buckeye  Fork,  and  Middle  Island  Creek  down  three  or 
four  miles  below  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  West  Union ; 
then  still  further  west  across  Arnolds  Creek,  to  the  North  Fork 
of  Hughes  River,  near  the  site  of  the  present  village  of 
Pennsboro. 

To  the  south  of  New  Salem,  they  took  their  way  up 
Pattersons  Fork  over  to  Greenbrier  Run,  and  the  head  waters 
of  Buckeye  Creek ;  thence  on  to  Meat  House  Fork,  and  beyond 
to  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River.  To  the  north  and 
northwest  of  New  Salem,  they  penetrated  the  deep  forests  of 
Robinsons  Fork  and  Flint  Run. 

Thus  from  the  West  Fork  River  at  the  mouth  of  Ten 
Mile  Creek  and  Lamberts  Run,  there  ran  a  chain  of  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  homes,  practically  unbroken,  across  a  belt  of 
country  from  two  to  ten  miles  in  width  and  some  forty  miles 
in  length,  or  more  than  half  the  distance  from  the  West  Fork 
of  the  Monongahela  River  to  the  Ohio  River. 

The  settlement  on  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
was  detached,  geographically,  from  this  belt,  but  it  covered 
several  square  miles. 

On  Elk  Creek,  which  flows  into  the  West  Fork  River  at 


S        r- 


WESTERN  VIRGINIA  6l 

Clarksburg,  was  another  settlement  at  what  it  now  known  as 
Quiet  Dell,  situated  at  a  distance  of  some  five  miles  from 
Clarksburg ;  and  ten  miles  south  of  Clarksburg  was  the  settle- 
ment on  Lost  Creek,  which  afterwards  extended  to  Hackers 
Creek  on  the  south  and  south-east  of  Lost  Creek. 

This  stream  of  immigration  brought  with  it  the  Davises, 
the  Maxsons,  the  Babcocks,  the  Thorps,  the  Brands,  and  the 
Claytons,  from  the  Shrewsbury  Church.  They  were  either 
accompanied  or  followed  by  the  Randolphs  from  Piscataway, 
New  Jersey;  the  Bonds  from  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania; 
the  Bees  and  Kelleys  from  the  vicinity  of  Salem,  New  Jersey; 
and  the  Suttons,  the  Lippincotts,  the  Van  Horns,  the  Kennedys, 
the  Williamses,  the  Loofboros,  the  Battens  and  others  from 
various  points  in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania. 

These  people  came  into  a  goodly  heritage.  The  surface 
formation  of  the  country  was  hilly.  It  lay  at  an  altitude  of 
from  some  seven  hundred  feet,  to  about  thirteen  hundred  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  ground  was  covered  by  an 
unbroken  forest  of  heavy  building  timber  of  the  best  quality 
in  great  variety.  The  soil  was  fertile,  and  the  mineral 
resources  vast.  Land  could  be  had  at  from  a  few  cents  to  a 
dollar  or  two  an  acre. 

The  new  settlers  purchased  large  farms  ranging  in  size 
from  two  or  three  hundred  to  several  thousands  of  acres. 
Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  already  held  lands  in  Pennsylvania 
aggregating  eleven  hunderd  acres ;  and  without  disposing  of 
them  he  made  an  initial  purchase  at  New  Salem  of  two  hundred 
and  sixty-six  and  a  half  acres.  Three  brothers,  Nathan,  Joseph, 
and  William  Davis,  purchased  a  tract  of  twenty  thousand  acres 
of  land  of  the  original  patentee  at  the  rate  of  twenty-three 
cents  an  acre.  It  was  on  a  part  of  this  purchase  that  the 
present  town  of  West  Union  in  Doddridge  County  was  laid  out. 

The  forests  were  soon  converted  into  grazing  lands  upon 
which  were  produced  fatted  cattle  that  were  the  envy  of  the 
cattle  markets  of  the  large  cities  of  the  Atlantic  seaboard. 
Gradually  the  timber  markets  opened  up,  and  the  forests  of 
pine,  oak,  ash,  and  yellow  poplar,  with  a  fair  sprinkling  of  black 
walnut  and  wild  cherry  were  converted  into  valuable 
merchandise. 

Then  later,  the  boundless  wealth  of    coal    and    oil    was 


62       SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

discovered,  so  that  within  the  past  decade  there  has  been  poured 
into  the  coffers  of  the  farmers  of  this  region  a  stream  of 
money  aggregating,  Hterally,  many  milHons  of  dollars,  of  which 
our  Seventh  Day  Baptist  friends  have  had  a  generous  share, 
and,  as  a  result,  have  become  a  most  prosperous  people. 


NOTE.  In  the  preparation  of  this  chapter  the  author  has  consulted  freely, 
besides  the  authorities  already  cited,  the  following:  History  of  West  Virginia. 
By  Virgil  A.  Lewis.  Philadelphia.  1887;  The  History  and  Government  of  West 
Virginia.  By  Fast  and  Maxwell.  Morgantown  (W.  Va.).  1901;  Chronicles  of 
Border  Warfare.  By  Alexander  Withers.  Clarksburg,  Va.  1831;  Historical 
Collections  of  Virginia.  By  Henry  Howe.  Charleston,  South  Carolina.  1845; 
Notes  on  The  State  of  Virginia,  with  additions.     By  Thomas  Jefferson.    i8oi;(f/a/. 


IV. 


FRONTIER  LIFE  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA. 


^^^W'^f  vv^w->»f 'v^f-i^HE  Reverend  Dr.  Joseoh  Doddridge, 
-^mvwwWvWv!*?^     ^  physician  and    Episcopal    clerg-y- 


physician  and  Episcopal  clergy 
man  of  Wellsburg,  Virginia  (now 
West  Virginia),  wrote  a  book 
which  he  published  in  1824,  entitled, 
Notes  on  the  settlement  and  Indian 
zvars  of  the  zvestern  parts  of  Vir- 
ginia and  Pennsylvania,  from  the 
year  176^  until  the  year  178^, 
inclusive,  together  with  a  viezv  of 
the  state  of  society,  and  manners  of  the  first  settlers  of  the 
western  country.  Although  this  book  was  reprinted  in  1876,  it 
is  very  scarce ;  and  as  it  contains  much  that  is  of  interest  in  this 
connection,  as  showing  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  frontier 
life  into  which  the  Shrewsbury  Church  projected  itself,  when 
it  left  its  home  in  New  Jersey  and  sought  a  new  home  in  the 
mountain  fastnesses  of  western  Virginia,  the  present  writer  has 
quoted  somewhat  freely  from  several  chapters  of  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge's most  excellent,  if  somewhat  plain  and  blunt  book.  In 
this  connection,  it  should  be  observed  that  although  Dr. 
Doddridge  gives  the  year  1783  as  his  latest  date  on  the  title 
page,  the  last  chapter  of  his  book  records  events  which 
occurred  in  the  year  1793,  four  years  after  the  Shrewsbury 
Church  went  to  that  region.^ 


I.  Communication  with  the  outside  world  was  difficult  as  the  postal  service 
was  very  limited.  Of  the  five  hundred  and  ten  (510)  post  offices  in  the  United 
States  in  1797,  there  were  eight  within  the  present  territory  of  West  Virginia, 
and  the  one  nearest  to  New  Salem  was  the  post  office  at  Morgantown.  American 
Gaseteer.  Cf.  Transalleghcny  Historical  Magazine.  Vol.  I.  No.  i,  p.  m.  But 
"a  mail  route  was  established  in  Monongalia  County  as  early  as  I794-"  Ibidem. 
Vol.   I.     No.  2,  p.   125. 


64       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  conditions,  together  with  the  manners  and  customs  of 
life  as  set  forth  by  Dr.  Doddridge  may  then  fairly  be  accepted 
as  typical  of  those  which  greeted  our  pilgrims  upon  their 
arrival  at  New  Salem.  The  book  records  its  author's  own 
personal  observations,  thus  stamping  his  evidence  as  first  hand 
and  wholly  authentic. 

WEDDING  CUSTOMS. 

Of  Wedding  Customs  in  Western  Virginia,  Dr.  Doddridge 
observes  the  following : — 

"For  a  long  time  after  the  first  settlement  of  this  country,  the 
inhabitants  in  general  married  young.  There  was  no  distinction  of 
rank,  and  very  little  of  fortune.  On  these  accounts  the  first  impression 
of  love  resulted  in  marriage ;  and  a  family  establishment  cost  but  a 
little  labour,  and  nothing  else.  A  description  of  a  wedding  from  the 
beginning  to  the  end,  will  serve  to  show  the  manners  of  our  forefather i, 
and  mark  the  grade  of  civilisation  which  has  succeeded  to  their  rude 
state  of  society  in  the  course  of  a  few  years.  At  an  early  period,  the 
practise  of  celebrating  the  marriage  at  the  house  of  the  bride  began, 
and,  it  should  seem,  with  great  propriety.  She  also  has  the  choice  of 
the  priest  to  perform  the  ceremony. 

"A  wedding  engaged  the  attention  of  a  whole  neighbourhood;  and 
the  frolic  was  anticipated  by  old  and  young  with  eager  expectation. 
This  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  when  it  is  told  that  a  wedding  was 
almost  the  only  gathering  which  was  not  accompanied  with  the  labour 
of  reaping,  log-rolling,  building  a  cabin,  or  planning  some  scout  or 
campaign. 

"In  the  morning  of  the  wedding-day,  the  groom  and  his  attendants 
assembled  at  the  house  of  his  father,  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the 
mansion  of  his  bride  by  noon,  which  was  the  usual  time  for  celebrating 
the  nuptials,  which  for  certain  must  take  place  before  dinner. 

"Let  the  reader  imagine  an  assemblage  of  people,  without  a  store, 
tailor,  or  mantua-maker,  within  an  hundred  miles;  and  an  assemblage 
of  horses,  without  a  blacksmith  or  saddler  within  an  equal  distance. 
The  gentlemen  dressed  in  shoe-packs,  moccasins,  leather  breeches, 
leggins,  linsey  hunting-shirts,  and  all  home-made.  The  ladies  dressed 
in  linsey  petticoats,  and  linsey  or  linen  bed-gowns,  coarse  shoes,  stock- 
ings, handkerchiefs,  and  buckskin  gloves,  if  any.  If  there  were  any 
buckles,  rings,  buttons,  or  rufifles,  they  were  the  relics  of  old  times; 
family  pieces,  from  parents  or  grand-parents.  The  horses  were 
caparisoned  with  old  saddles,  old  bridles  or  halters,  and  pack-saddles, 
with  a  bag  or  blanket  thrown  over  them;  a  rope  or  string  as  often 
constituted  the  girth,  as  a  piece  of  leather. 

"The  march,  in  double  file,  was  often  interrupted  by  the  narrowness 
and  obstructions  of  our  horse-paths,  as  they  were  called,  for  we  had 
no  roads;  and  these  difficulties  were  often  increased,  sometimes  by  the 
good,  and  sometimes  by  the  ill-will  of  neighbours,  by  falling  trees,  and 

(4) 


FRONTIER  LIFE  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA  65 

tying  grapevines  across  the  way.  Sometimes  an  ambuscade  was  formed 
by  the  wayside,  and  an  unexpected  discharge  of  several  guns  took  place, 
so  as  to  cover  the  wedding  company  with  smoke.  Let  the  reader  imagine 
the  scene  which  followed  this  discharge ;  the  sudden  spring  of  the 
horses,  the  shrieks  of  the  girls,  and  the  chivalric  bustle  of  their  partners 
to  save  them  from  falling.  Sometimes,  in  spite  of  all  that  could  be 
done  to  prevent  it,  some  were  thrown  to  the  ground.  If  a  wrist,  elbow, 
or  ankle  happened  to  be  sprained,  it  was  tied  with  a  handkerchief,  and 
little  more  was  thought  or  said  about  it. 

"Another  ceremony  commonly  took  place  before  the  party  reached 
the  house  of  the  bride,  after  the  practise  of  making  whiskey  began, 
v/hich  was  at  an  early  period ;  when  the  party  were  about  a  mile  from 
the  place  of  their  destination,  two  young  men  would  single  out  to  run 
for  the  bottle ;  the  worse  the  path,  the  more  logs,  brush,  and  deep 
hollows,  the  better,  as  these  obstacles  afforded  an  opportunity  for  the 
greater  display  of  intrepidity  and  horsemanship.  The  English-fox- 
chase,  in  point  of  danger  to  the  riders  and  their  horses,  is  nothing  to 
this  race  for  the  bottle.  The  start  was  announced  by  an  Indian  yell ; 
logs,  brush,  muddy  hollows,  hill  and  glen,  were  speedily  passed  by  the 
rival  ponies.  The  bottle  was  always  filled  for  the  occasion,  so  that 
there  was  no  use  for  judges;  for  the  first  who  reached  the  door  was 
presented  with  the  prize,  with  which  he  returned  in  triumph  to  the 
company.  On  approaching  them,  he  announced  his  victory  over  his 
rival  by  a  shrill  whoop.  At  the  head  of  the  troop,  he  gave  the  bottle 
first  to  the  groom  and  his  attendants,  and  then  to  each  pair  in  succession 
to  the  rear  of  the  line,  giving  each  a  dram;  and  then  putting  the  bottle 
in  the  bosom  of  his  hunting  shirt,  took  his  station  in  the  company. 

"The  ceremony  of  the  marriage  preceded  the  dinner,  which  was 
a  substantial  back-woods  feast,  of  beef,  pork,  fowls,  and  sometimes 
venison  and  bear-meat,  roasted  and  boiled,  with  plenty  of  potatoes, 
cabbage,  and  other  vegetables.  During  the  dinner  the  greatest  hilarity 
always  prevailed,  although  the  table  might  be  a  large  slab  of  timber, 
hewed  out  with  a  broadaxe,  supported  by  four  sticks  set  in  auger  holes ; 
and  the  furniture,  some  old  pewter  dishes  and  plates;  the  rest,  wooden 
bowls  and  trenchers ;  a  few  pewter  spoons,  much  battered  about  the 
edges,  were  to  be  seen  at  some  tables.  The  rest  were  made  of  horns. 
If  knives  were  scarce,  the  deficiency  was  made  up  by  the  scalping  knives, 
which  were  carried  in  sheaths  suspended  to  the  belt  of  the  hunting  shirt. 

"After  dinner  the  dancing  commenced,  and  generally  lasted  till  the 
next  morning.  The  figures  of  the  dances  were  three-  and  four-handed 
reels,  or  square  sets  and  jigs.  The  commencement  was  always  a  square 
four,  which  was  followed  by  what  was  called  jigging  it  off;  that  is,  two 
of  the  four  would  single  out  for  a  jig,  and  were  followed  by  the  remain- 
ing couple.  The  jigs  were  often  accompanied  with  what  was  called 
cutting  out;  that  is,  when  either  of  the  parties  became  tired  of  the 
dance,  on  intimation  the  place  was  supplied  by  some  one  of  the  company 
without  any  interruption  of  the  dance.  In  this  way  a  dance  was  often 
continued  till  the  musician  was  heartily  tired  of  his  situation.     Towards 


66       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  latter  part  of  the  night,  if  any  of  the  company,  through  weariness, 
attempted  to  conceal  themselves,  for  the  purpose  of  sleeping,  they  were 
hunted  up,  paraded  on  the  floor,  and  the  fiddler  ordered  to  play,  'Hang 
on  till  to-morrow  morning.' 

"About  nine  or  ten  o'clock,  a  deputation  of  the  young  ladies  stole  ofT 
the  bride,  and  put  her  to  bed.  In  doing  this,  it  frequently  happened 
that  they  had  to  ascend  a  ladder  instead  of  a  pair  of  stairs,  leading  from 
the  dining-  and  ball-room  to  the  loft,  the  floor  of  which  was  made  of 

clap-boards,  lying  loose,  and  without  nails As  the  foot  of  the 

ladder  was  commonly  behind  the  door,  which  was  purposely  opened 
for  the  occasion,  and  its  rounds  at  the  inner  ends  were  well  hung  with 
hunting  shirts,  petticoats,  and  other  articles  of  clothing,  the  candles 
being  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  house,  the  exit  of  the  bride  was 
noticed  but  by  few.  This  done,  a  deputation  of  young  men  in  like 
manner  stole  off  the  groom,  and  placed  him  snugly  by  the  side  of  his 
bride.  The  dance  still  continued;  and  if  seats  happened  to  be  scarce, 
which  was  often  the  case,  every  young  man,  when  not  engaged  in  the 
dance,  was  obliged  to  offer  his  lap  as  a  seat  for  one  of  the  girls ;  and 
the  offer  was  sure  to  be  accepted.  In  the  midst  of  this  hilarity  the  bride 
and  groom  were  not  forgotten.  Pretty  late  in  the  night,  some  one 
would  remind  the  company  that  the  new  couple  must  stand  in  need  of 
some  refreshment;  black  Betty,  which  was  the  name  of  the  bottle,  was 
called  for,  and  sent  up  the  ladder ;  but  sometimes  black  Betty  did  not 
go  alone.  I  have  many  times  seen  as  much  bread,  beef,  pork,  and  cab- 
bage, sent  along  with  her,  as  would  afford  a  good  meal  for  a  half  a  dozen 
hungry  men.  The  young  couple  were  compelled  to  eat  and  drink,  more 
or  less,  of  whatever  was  offered  them." 

"It  often  happened  that  some  neighbours  or  relations,  not  being 
asked  to  the  wedding,  took  offence ;  and  the  mode  of  revenge  adopted 
by  them  on  such  occasions,  was  that  of  cutting  off  the  manes,  foretops, 
and  tails  of  the  horses  of  the  wedding  company." 

"On  returning  to  the  infare,  the  order  of  procession,  and  the  race 
for  black  Betty,  was  the  same  as  before.  The  feasting  and  dancing  often 
lasted  for  several  days,  at  the  end  of  which  the  whole  company  were  so 
exhausted  with  loss  of  sleep,  that  several  days  rest  were  requisite  to 
fit  them  to  return  to  their  ordinary  labours." 

Notwithstanding  Dr.  Doddridge's  declaration  that  these 
customs  so  vividly  depicted  by  him  were  rapidly  passing  at  the 
time  of  his  writing,  many  of  them  existed  in  a  more  or  less 
modified  form  down    to  a  quarter    century    ago.^     Doubtless 


I.  About  the  middle  of  the  second  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  "horse- 
back" weddings  were  much  in  vogue  in  some  parts  of  this  country.  The  bride 
and  groom,  accompanied  by  one  or  more  other  couples,  all  mounted  on  horseback, 
the  usual  mode  of  conveyance  at  that  time,  travelled  to  the  home  of  some  clergy- 
man, often  without  previous  notice  to  him,  and  without  dismounting,  were 
married  in  the  public  highway,  the  clergyman  standing  by  the  roadside  in  front  of 
his    home.     Sometimes    the    clergyman    was    overtaken    as    he    travelled    along   the 


.j^rcn^m- . 


2  1 

^    2 


FRONTIER  LIFE  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA  67 

many  distinct  traces  of  them  may  be  found  even  to-day  in  the 
more  remote  parts  of  that  country. 

In     continuing,     Dr.     Doddridge     gives     the     following 
description  of 

THE   HOUSEWARMING. 

"I  will  proceed  to  state  the  usual  manner  of  settling  a  young  couple 
in  the  world. 

"A  spot  was  selected  on  a  piece  of  land  of  one  of  the  parents,  for 
their  habitation.  A  day  was  appointed  shortly  after  their  marriage  for 
commencing  the  work  of  building  their  cabin.  The  fatigue  party 
consisted  of  choppers,  whose  business  it  was  to  fell  the  trees  and  cut 
them  ofif  at  proper  lengths.  A  man  with  a  team  for  hauling  them  to 
the  place,  and  arranging  them,  properly  assorted,  at  the  sides  and  ends 
of  the  building,  a  carpenter,  if  such  he  might  be  called,  whose  business 
it  was  to  search  the  woods  for  a  proper  tree  for  making  clapboards  for 
the  roof.  The  tree  for  this  purpose  must  be  straight  grained  and  from 
three  to  four  feet  in  diameter.  The  boards  were  split  four  feet  long, 
with  a  large  frow,  and  as  wide  as  the  timber  would  allow.  They  were  used 
without  planing  or  shaving.  Another  division  was  employed  in  getting 
puncheons  for  the  floor  of  the  cabin ;  this  was  done  by  splitting  trees, 
about  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  and  hewing  the  faces  of  them  with 
a  broadaxe.  They  were  half  the  length  of  the  door  they  were  intended 
to  make.  The  materials  for  the  cabin  were  mostly  prepared  on  the  first 
day  and  sometimes  the  foundation  laid  in  the  evening.  The  second  day 
was  allotted  for  the  raising. 

"In  the  morning  of  the  next  day  the  neighbours  collected  for  the 
raising.  The  first  thing  to  be  done  was  the  election  of  four  corner  men, 
whose  business  it  was  to  notch  and  place  the  logs.  The  rest  of  the 
company  furnished  them  with  the  timbers.  In  the  meantime  the  boards 
and  puncheons  were  collecting  for  the  floor  and  roof,  so  that  by  the 
time  the  cabin  was  a  few  rounds  high  the  sleepers  and  floor  began  to  be 
laid.  The  door  was  made  by  sawing  or  cutting  the  logs  in  one  side 
so  as  to  make  an  opening  about  three  feet  wide.  This  opening  was 
secured  by  upright  pieces  of  timber  about  three  inches  thick  through 
which  holes  were  bored  into  the  ends  of  the  logs  for  the  purpose  of 
pinning  them  fast.  A  similar  opening,  but  wider,  was  made  at  the  end 
for  the  chimney.  This  was  built  of  logs  and  made  large  to  admit  of  a 
back  and  jambs  of  stone.  At  the  square,  two  end  logs  projected  a  foot 
or  eighteen  inches  to  receive  the  butting  poles,  as  they  were  called, 
against  which  the  ends  of  the  first  row  of  clapboards  was  supported. 


road,  and  under  the  friendly  shade  of  some  nearby  tree,  the  marriage  service  took 
place.  Often  the  horseback  weddings  were  regarded  as  a  sort  of  adventure,  when 
the  bride  and  groom  were  likely  to  be  accompanied  by  a  dozen  or  more  couples. 
At  other  times  it  was  resorted  to  as  a  means  of  economy,  and  to  avoid  display, 
when  the  bride  and  groom  were  accompanied  by  but  a  single  couple,  or  were 
wholly  unattended,  members  of  the  family  of  the  officiating  clergyman,  or  of  some 
nearby  neighbour,   acting  as  witnesses. 


68'      SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  roof  was  formed  by  making  the  end  logs  shorter  until  a  single  log 
formed  the  comb  of  the  roof,  on  these  logs  the  clapboards  were  placed, 
the  ranges  of  them  lapping  some  distance  over  those  next  below  them 
and  kept  in  their  places  by  logs,  placed  at  proper  distances  upon  them. 

"The  roof  and  sometimes  the  floor  were  finished  on  the  same  day 
of  the  raising.  A  third  day  was  commonly  spent  by  a  few  carpenters 
in  leveling  off  the  floor,  making  a  clapboard  door  and  a  table.  This  last 
was  made  of  a  split  slab  and  supported  by  four  round  legs  set  in  auger 
holes.  Some  three-legged  stools  were  made  in  the  same  manner.  Some 
pins  stuck  in  the  logs  at  the  back  of  the  house  supported  some  clap- 
boards which  served  for  shelves  for  the  table  furniture.  A  single  fork, 
placed  with  its  lower  end  in  a  hole  in  the  floor  and  the  upper  end  fas- 
tened to  a  joist,  served  for  a  bedstead,  by  placing  a  pole  in  the  fork 
with  one  end  through  a  crack  between  the  logs  of  the  wall.  This  front 
pole  was  crossed  by  a  shorter  one  within  the  fork,  with  its  outer  end 
through  another  crack.  From  the  front  pole,  through  a  crack  between 
the  logs  of  the  end  of  the  house,  the  boards  were  put  on  which  formed 
the  bottom  of  the  bed.  Sometimes  other  poles  were  pinned  to  the  fork 
a  little  distance  above  these,  for  the  purpose  of  supporting  the  front 
and  foot  of  the  bed,  while  the  walls  were  the  supports  of  its  back  and 
head.  A  few  pegs  around  the  walls  for  a  display  of  the  coats  of  the 
women,  and  hunting  shirts  of  the  men,  and  two  small  forks  or  buck's 
horns  to  a  joist  for  the  rifle  and  shot  pouch,  completed  the  carpenter 
work. 

"In  the  mean  time  masons  were  at  work.  With  the  heart  pieces  of 
the  timber  of  which  the  clapboards  were  made,  they  made  billets  for 
chunking  up  the  cracks  between  the  logs  of  the  cabin  and  chimney,  a 
large  bed  of  mortar  was  made  for  daubing  up  those  cracks ;  a  few  stones 
formed  the  back  and  jambs  of  the  chimney. 

"The  cabin  being  finished,  the  ceremony  of  house-warming  took 
place,  before  the  young  couple  were  permitted  to  move  into  it.  The 
house-warming  was  a  dance  of  a  whole  night's  continuance,  made  up  of 
the  relations  of  the  bride  and  groom,  and  their  neighbours.  On  the  day 
following  the  young  couple  took  possession  of  their  new  mansion." 
In  the  chapter  on 

"labour  and  its  discouragements," 
Dr.  Doddridge  says : — 

"The  necessary  labours  of  the  farms  along  the  frontiers,  were 
performed  with  every  danger  and  difficulty  imaginable.  The  whole 
population  of  the  frontiers  huddled  together  in  their  little  forts,  left  the 
country  with  every  appearance  of  a  deserted  region;  and  such  would 
have  been  the  opinion  of  a  traveler  concerning  it,  if  he  had  not  seen, 
here  and  there,  some  small  fields  of  corn  or  other  grain  in  a  growing 
state. 

"It  is  easy  to  imagine  what  losses  must  have  been  sustained  by  our 
first  settlers  owing  to  this  deserted  state  of  their  farms.  It  was  not  the 
full  measure  of  their  trouble,  that  they  risked  their  lives,  and  often  lost 


O 

o 


b£ 


FRONTIER  LIFE  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA  69 

them,  in  subduing  the  forest,  and  turning  it  into  fruitful  fields;  but 
compelled  to  leave  them  in  a  deserted  state  during  the  summer  season, 
a  great  part  of  the  fruits  of  their  labours  was  lost  by  this  untoward 
circumstance.  Their  sheep  and  hogs  were  devoured  by  the  wolves, 
panthers,  and  bears.  Horses  and  cattle  were  often  let  into  their  fields, 
through  breaches  made  in  their  fences  by  the  falling  of  trees,  and 
frequently  almost  the  whole  of  a  little  crop  of  corn  was  destroyed  by 
squirrels  and  raccoons,  so  that  many  families,  and  after  an  hazardous 
and  laborious  spring  and  summer,  had  but  little  left  for  the  comfort  of 
the  dreary  winter. 

"The  early  settlers  on  the  frontiers  of  this  country  were  like  Arabs 
of  the  desert  of  Africa,  in  at  least  two  respects;  every  man  was  a 
soldier,  and  from  early  in  the  spring,  till  late  in  the  fall,  was  almost 
continually  in  arms.  Their  work  was  often  carried  on  by  parties,  each 
one  of  whom  had  his  rifle  and  everything  else  belonging  to  his  war 
dress.  These  were  deposited  in  some  central  place  in  the  field.  A 
sentinel  was  stationed  on  the  outside  of  the  fence,  so  that  on  the  least 
alarm  the  whole  company  repaired  to  their  arms,  and  were  ready  for 
the  combat  in  a  moment.  Here,  again,  the  rashness  of  some  families 
proved  a  source  of  difficulty.  Instead  of  joining  the  working  parties, 
they  went  out  and  attended  their  farms  by  themselves,  and  in  case  of 
alarm,  an  express  was  sent  for  them,  and  sometimes  a  party  of  men 
to  guard  them  to  the  fort.  These  families,  in  some  instances,  could 
boast  that  they  had  better  crops,  and  were  every  way  better  provided  for 
the  winter  than  their  neighbours.  In  other  instances  their  temerity  cost 
them  their  lives. 

"In  military  affairs,  when  every  one  concerned  is  left  to  his  own 
will,  matters  are  sure  to  be  but  badly  managed.  The  whole  frontiers  of 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia  presented  a  succession  of  military  camps  or 
forts.  We  had  military  officers,  that  is  to  say,  captains  and  colonels, 
but  they,  in  many  respects,  were  only  nominally  such.  They  could 
advise  but  not  command.  Those  who  chose  to  follow  their  advice  did 
so,  to  such  an  extent  as  suited  their  fancy,  or  interest.  Others  were 
refractory,  and  thereby  gave  much  trouble.  These  officers  would  lead  a 
scout,  or  campaign.  Those  who  thought  proper  to  accompany  them  did 
so,  those  who  did  not  remained  at  home.  Public  odium  was  the  only 
punishment  for  their  laziness  or  cowardice.  There  was  no  compulsion 
to  the  performance  of  military  duties,  and  no  pecuniary  reward  when 
they  were  performed. 

"It  is  but  doing  justice  to  the  first  settlers  of  this  country  to  say, 
that  instances  of  disobedience  of  families  and  individuals  to  the  advice 
of  our  officers,  were  by  no  means  numerous.  The  greater  number 
cheerfully  submitted  to  their  directions  with  a  prompt  and  faithful 
obedience." 

The  following  interesting  extracts  are  made    from    Dr. 
Doddridge's  chapter  on 


70       SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

"the  mechanic  arts. 

"My  reader  will  naturally  ask  where  were  their  mills  for  grinding 
grain?  Where  their  tanners  for  making  leather?  Where  their  smith 
shops  for  making  and  repairing  their  farming  utensils?  Who 
were  their  carpenters,  tailors,  cabinet  workmen,  shoemakers,  and 
weavers?  The  answer  is,  these  manufacturers  did  not  exist,  nor  had 
they  any  tradesmen,  who  were  professedly  such.  Every  family  were 
under  the  necessity  of  doing  every  thing  for  themselves,  as  well  as  they 
could. 

"The  hominy  block  and  hand  mills  were  in  use  in  most  of  our 
houses.  The  first  was  made  of  a  large  block  of  wood  about  three  feet 
long,  with  an  excavation  burned  in  one  end,  wide  at  the  top,  and  narrow 
at  the  bottom,  so  that  the  action  of  the  pestle  on  the  bottom  threw  the 
corn  up  to  the  sides  toward  the  top  of  it,  from  whence  it  continually  fell 
down  into  the  centre.  In  consequence  of  this  movement,  the  whole 
mass  of  the  grain  was  pretty  equally  subjected  to  the  strokes  of  the 
pestle.  In  the  fall  of  the  year,  while  the  Indian  corn  was  soft,  the 
block  and  pestle  did  very  well  for  making  meal  for  johnny  cake  and 
mush,  but  were  rather  slow  when  the  corn  became  hard. 

"The  sweep  was  sometimes  used  to  lessen  the  toil  of  pounding  grain 
into  meal.  This  was  a  pole  of  some  springy  elastic  wood,  thirty  feet 
long  or  more ;  the  butt  end  was  placed  under  the  side  of  a  house,  or  a 
large  stump ;  this  pole  was  supported  by  two  forks,  placed  about  one- 
third  of  its  length  from  the  butt  end  so  as  to  elevate  the  small  end 
about  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground ;  to  this  was  attached,  by  a  large 
mortise,  a  piece  of  a  sapling  about  five  or  six  inches  in  diameter,  and 
eight  or  ten  feet  long.  The  lower  end  of  this  was  shaped  so  as  to 
answer  for  a  pestle.  A  pin  of  wood  was  put  through  it  at  a  proper 
height,  so  that  two  persons  could  work  at  the  sweep  at  once.  This 
simple  machine  very  much  lessened  the  labour,  and  expedited  the  work. 
I  remember  that  when  a  boy  I  put  up  an  excellent  sweep  at  my  father's. 
It  was  made  of  a  sugar  tree  sapling.  It  was  kept  going  almost  con- 
stantly from  morning  till  night  by  our  neighbours  for  several  weeks. 

"In  the  Greenbrier  country,  where  they  had  a  number  of  salt-petre 
caves,  the  first  settlers  made  plenty  of  excellent  gun  powder  by  the 
means  of  these  sweeps  and  mortars. 

"A  machine,  still  more  simple  than  the  mortar  and  pestle,  was  used 
for  making  meal,  while  the  corn  was  too  soft  to  be  beaten.  It  was  called 
a  grater.  This  was  a  half  circular  piece  of  tin,  perforated  with  a  punch 
from  the  concave  side,  and  nailed  by  its  edges  to  a  block  of  wood.  The 
ears  of  corn  were  rubbed  on  the  rough  edges  of  the  holes,  while  the 
meal  fell  through  them  on  the  board  or  block,  to  which  the  grater  was 
nailed,  which,  being  in  a  slanting  direction,  discharged  the  meal  into  a 
cloth  or  bowl  placed  for  its  reception.  This  to  be  sure  was  a  slow  way 
of  making  meal ;  but  necessity  has  no  law. 

"The  hand  mill  was  better  than  the  mortar,  and  grater.  It  was 
made  of  two  circular  stones,  the  lowest  of  which  was  called  the  bed 
stone,  the  upper  one  the  runner.     These  were  placed  in  a  hoop,  with  a 


MOUNTAIN     LIFE. 


FRONTIER  LIFE  IN  WESTERN  VIRGINIA 


71 


spout  for  discharging  the  meal.  A  staff  was  let  into  a  hole  in  the  upper 
surface  of  the  runner,  near  the  outer  edge,  and  its  upper  end  through  a 
hole  in  a  board  fastened  to  a  joist  above,  so  that  two  persons  could  be 
employed  in  turning  the  mill  at  the  same  time.  The  grain  was  put  into 
the  opening  in  the  runner  by  hand." 

"Our  first  water  mills  were  of  that  description  denominated  tub 
mills.  It  consisted  of  a  perpendicular  shaft,  to  the  lower  end  of  which 
an  horizontal  wheel  of  about  four  or  five  feet  diameter  is  attached,  the 
upper  end  passes  through  the  bedstone  and  carries  the  runner  after  the 
manner  of  a  trundle  head.  These  mills  were  built  with  very  little 
expence,  and  many  of  them  answered  the  purpose  very  well. 

"Instead  of  bolting  cloths,  sifters  were  in  general  use.  These  were 
made  of  deer  skins  in  the  state  of  parchment,  stretched  over  a  hoop  and 
perforated  with  a  hot  wire. 

"Our  clothing  was  all  of  domestic  manufacture.  We  had  no  other 
resource  for  clothing,  and  this,  indeed,  was  a  poor  one.  The  crops  of 
flax  often  failed,  and  the  sheep  were  destroyed  by  the  wolves.  Linsey, 
which  is  made  of  flax  and  wool,  the  former  the  chain  and  the  latter  the 
filling,  was  the  warmest  and  most  substantial  cloth  we  could  make. 
Almost  every  house  contained  a  loom,  and  almost  every  woman  was  a 
weaver. 

"Every  family  tanned  their  own  leather.  The  tan  vat  was  a  large 
trough  sunk  to  the  upper  edge  in  the  ground.  A  quantity  of  bark  was 
easily  obtained  every  spring,  in  clearing  and  fencing  the  land.  This, 
after  drying,  was  brought  in  and  in  wet  days  was  shaved  and  pounded 
on  a  block  of  wood,  with  an  axe  or  mallet.  Ashes  was  used  in  place 
of  lime  for  taking  off  the  hair.  Bear's  oil,  hog's  lard  and  tallow, 
answered  the  place  of  fish  oil.  The  leather,  to  be  sure,  was  coarse;  but 
it  was  substantially  good.  The  operation  of  currying  was  performed 
by  a  drawing  knife  with  its  edge  turned,  after  the  manner  of  a  currying 
knife.     The  blacking  for  the  leather  was  made  of  soot  and  hog's  lard. 

"Almost  every  family  contained  its  own  tailors  and  shoemakers. 
Those  who  could  not  make  shoes,  could  make  shoepacks.  These,  like 
moccasins,  were  made  of  a  single  piece  of  leather  with  the  exception 
of  a  tongue  piece  on  the  top  of  the  foot.  This  was  about  two  inches 
broad  and  circular  at  the  lower  end.  To  this  the  main  piece  of  leather 
was  sewed,  with  a  gathering  stitch.  The  seam  behind  was  like  that  of 
a  moccasin.  To  the  shoepack  a  sole  was  sometimes  added.  The 
women  did  the  tailor  work.  They  could  all  cut  out  and  make  hunting 
shirts,  leggins  and  drawers." 

"There  was,  in  almost  every  neighbourhood,  some  one  whose  natural 
ingenuity  enabled  him  to  do  many  things  for  himself  and  his  neighbours, 
far  above  what  could  have  been  reasonably  expected.  With  a  few 
tools  which  they  brought  with  them  into  the  country,  they  certainly 
performed  wonders.  Their  plows,  harrows  with  their  wooden  teeth, 
and  sleds,  were  in  many  instances  well  made.  Their  cooper  ware, 
which  comprehended   everything   for   holding    milk    and    water,    was 


72       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

generally  pretty  well  executed.  The  cedar  ware,  by  having  alternately 
a  white  and  red  stave,  was  thought  beautiful.  Many  of  their  puncheon 
floors  were  very  neat,  their  joints  close  and  the  top  even  and  smooth. 
Their  looms,  although  heavy,  did  very  well.  Those  who  could  not 
exercise  these  mechanic  arts,  were  under  the  necessity  of  giving  labour, 
or  barter,  to  their  neighbours  in  exchange  for  the  use  of  them,  so  far 
as  their  necessities  required. 

"An  old  man  in  my  father's  neighbourhood  had  the  art  of  turning 
bowls,  from  the  knots  of  trees,  particularly  those  of  the  ash.  In  what 
way  he  did  it,  I  do  not  know :  or  whether  there  was  much  mystery  in 
his  art.  Be  that  as  it  may,  the  old  man's  skill  was  in  great  request,  as 
well  turned  wooden  bowls  were  amongst  our  first  rate  articles  of 
household  furniture." 

"A  small  depression  on  the  surface  of  a  stump  or  log  and  a  wooden 
mallet,  were  his  [Dr.  Doddridge's  father's]  instruments  for  straighten- 
ing a  gun  barrel  when  croo'Ked.  Without  the  aid  of  a  bow-string 
he  could  discover  the  smallest  bend  in  a  barrel.  With  a  bit  of  steel, 
he  could  make  a  saw  for  deepening  the  furrows,  when  requisite.  A  few 
shots  determined  whether  the  gun  might  be  trusted." 


iaHlSll«!«!«i:«ilK!iHlHliK:gfaH!|H|[«]i«i;HiH|;«l«|!»;;Hl:«|[H|Hial:'a 


V. 


THE  WOODBRIDGETOWN   CHURCH. 


>  «  K  K^  K  K  H  K  H  it. ;«  H  K  (^^ 


^HE  Book  of  Records  of  the  Wood- 
bridgetown  Church  begins  as 
follows : — 

"This  is  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of 

the  first  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of 

Christ  on  the  waters  of  Georges  Creek, 

^^^igi      [ff72^     keeping     the     commandments     of     God, 

^J^^  Jt885J8J*K*t8  8  K  ^^^ 

~    '  "^         particularly   God's    Holy    Seventh    Day 

Sabbath,  w^ith  the  rest  of  the  command- 
ments of  God,  believing  and  practising 
the  Holy  Ordinances  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  [and]  the  doctrines  thereof; 
inhabitants  of  the  w^estern  waters  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania, 
agreed  and  concluded  upon  by  some  members  belonging  to  a  Church  of 
Christ  in  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  township  of  Piscataway  of  the  same 
Faith  and  Order,  with  their  consent,  we  said  members,  with  the  assist- 
ance of  Elder  Jacob  Davis,  late  from  New  Jersey,  and  Elder 
Woodbridge  of  the  State  [of]  Pennsylvania,  Fayette  County,  Georges 
Township,  met,  on  the  eighth  of  November,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  eighty  nine  met  together  at  a  meeting 
appointed  to  consult  religious  matters,  and  then  agreed  that  there  should 
be  a  church  constituted  at  Georges  Creek,  Fayette  County,  State 
aforesaid,  the  next  May  ensuing.  At  the  same  [meeting]  Stephen 
Dunham  was  appointed  to  make  a  minute  of  the  same,  but  appointment 
was  adjourned  to  the  sixth  day  of  June  following. 

"June  the  6th  day  one  thousand  seven  hundred  and  ninety,  we,  the 
said  members,  met  according  to  adjournment  and  was  constituted  into 
a  church.  Elder  Jacob  Davis  being  Administrator  and  Deacon  Maxson, 
present. 

"We,  who  desire  to  walk  together  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  do 
through  the  assistance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  profess  our  deep  and  sincere 
humiliation  for  our  transgressions  and  we  do  also  solemnly  in  the 
presence  of  God  and  of  each  other  in  the  sense  of  our  own  unworthiness, 
give  up  ourselves  to  the  Lord  and  to  one  another  by  the  will  [of]  God." 


74       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Then  follow  twenty-two  articles  of  faith,  similar  in  spirit 
and  form  to  those  of  other  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  of 
that  time.  These  in  turn  are  followed  immediately  by  the 
following : — 

"This  is  the  covenant  we  now  solemnly  enter  into,  in  the  love  and 
fear  of  God,  in  testimony  and  ratification  whereof  we  sign  our  names : — 

'"Samuel  Woodbridge,   [Elder], 

"Stephen  Dunham,  [Clerk], 

"Samuel  Fitz  Randolph, 

"Margaret  Fitz  Randolph, 

"John  Morris, 

"John  Patterson, 

"Anne  Woodbridge, 

"Jonathan  Preston,, 

"Elisabeth  Brand, 

"Oeed  Meredith, 

"Sally  Patterson, 

"Leah  Sturgis, 

"James  Dunn, 

"Cornelius  Williams, 
[Dr.]  "Job  Bacon, 

"Mary  Griffin, 

"Rhoda  Bacon." 

Following  this  list  of  names,  appear  three  more  articles  of 
faith,  the  first  of  which  treats,  at  some  length,  of  marriage  and 
the  duties  of  married  life.  The  second  asserts  belief  in  the  use 
of  hymns  in  public  and  private  worship.  The  third  and  last 
declares  that  "a  lawful  oath  is  a  part  of  religious  worship  and 
a  confirmation  of  truth  and  ending  of  all  strife." 

From  the  fact  that  John  Morris  was  received  into  the 
church  by  baptism  and  laying  on  of  hands  on  the  6th  of  June, 
1790,  the  day  of  the  formal  organisation  of  the  church  and 
that  all  of  the  others  whose  names  follow  his  in  the  list 
appended  to  the  articles  of  faith  were  received  into  the  church 
afterward,  it  would  appear  that  the  original  temporary 
organisation  effected  November  8,  1789,  consisted  of  but  four 
members ;  vis.,  Samuel  Woodbridge,  Elder ;  Stephen  Dunham, 
Clerk;  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph;  and  his  wife,  Margaret  Fitz 
Randolph. 

On  the  8th  of  August,  1790,  John  Patterson  was  received 
into  the  church  by  letter  and  on  that  date  he  was  called  by  the 
church  "to  the  trial  of  his  gifts"  and  at  the  same  time  given 
leave  to  go  and  make  a  visit  to  the  people  of  the   Glades,   to 


WOODBRIDGETOWN    CHURCH    AND    GRAVEYARD. 
(From  a  photograph  taken  in  1903). 


THE  WOODBRIDGETOWN  CHURCH 


75 


preach  while  there,  and  not  to  preach  again  abroad  without  the 
leave  of  the  church. 

On  the  same  day  it  was  decided  that  the  communion 
service  should  be  held  on  the  third  Sabbath  in  September, 
December,  March,  and  June,  respectively ;  and  Samuel  Fitz 
Randolph  and  John  Patterson  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
procure  paper  for  a  church  book  and  wine  for  communion. 

On  September  2,  following',  the  church  took  formal  action 
to  the  effect  that,  in  the  case  of  necessary  absence  from  home 
of  any  member  of  the  church,  the  other  members  were 
authorised  to  proceed  with  business,  a  question  of  considerable 
importance  in  a  church  of  seven  members. 

On  December  19,  1790,  the  church  permitted  John 
Patterson  "to  go  to  Besentown  to  preach,  and  not  to  preach 
any  more  abroad  without  the  leave  of  the  church,  but  to  preach 
among  the  members  at  home  when  there  is  a  door  open."  In 
the  following  January  he  was  given  "leave  to  preach  when  and 
where  a  door  should  be  opened,  for  the  space  of  six  months," 
On  July  17,  1791,  he  was  "licenced  to  preach  the  gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ  wherever  a  door  shall  be  open  to  him  without  any 
•limitation,  provided  he  continues  sound  in  the  faith  and 
practise.  At  the  same  time  Elder  Samuel  Woodbridge  was 
appointed  to  write  his  licence." 

This  church  appears  to  have  been  made  up  of  former 
members  of  the  Piscataway  Church,  and  converts  to  the 
Sabbath,  largely  from  a  local  Baptist  church.^  The  church 
does  not  appear  ever  to  have  been  a  strong  one  and  it  is  of 
importance  mainly  because  it  was  a  sort  of  door-way  through 
which  the  emigrants  from  New  Jersey  and  certain  parts  of 
Pennsylvania  passed  to  western  Virginia  and  Ohio,  and  other 
parts  west. 

Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  was  the  first  pastor  and  it  was 
from  him  that  the  locality  and  church  took  its  name.  It  after- 
ward became  the  church  home  of  Rev.  Enoch  David,  a 
well-known    clergyman    of    his  time     among     Seventh    Day 


1.  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  was  the  second  pastor  of  the  Mount  Moriah 
Baptist  Church  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  He  accepted  the  call  to  this 
pastorate  as  early  as  March  i,  1786.  Cf.  Ellis,  History  of  Fayette  County, 
Pennsylvania.     Philadelphia,   1882.     P.   578. 


76       SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

Baptists.^  It  was  through  his  grandson,  Mr.  Francis  Kildow 
of  Berea,  West  Virginia,  that  the  records  of  the  church  were 
preserved  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  present  writer  in 
the  spring  of  1902. 

The  last  entry  in  the  book  of  records  is  dated  August, 
1844,  and  records  a  visit  of  Richard  C.  Bond  to  the  church  in 
April  preceding.  During  the  course  of  his  visit  he  preached 
five  times,  administered  the  Lord's  Supper,  and,  in  the 
following  August,  visited  the  church  again,  preaching  several 
sermons  and  receiving  into  the  church  Richard  C.  Bond,  Jr. 
There  is  also  recorded,  on  the  9th  of  March  of  the  same  year, 
the  dismissal,  by  letter,  of  Benjamin  F.  Bond  and  Richard  C. 
Bond,  who  removed  to  Rock  County,  Wisconsin  Territory. 

On  the  13th  of  January,  1793,  arose  the  question  of 
building  a  meeting  house,  but  the  subject  was  laid  upon  the 
table  until  the  next  meeting.  On  the  12th  of  April,  1795, 
Samuel  Woodbridge,  John  Shacklett,  and  John  Clauson  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  increase  the  subscription  sufficiently 
to  cover  the  cost  of  the  proposed  meeting  house.  The  house 
was  built  of  logs  with  its  cracks  chinked  with  clay  m.ortar.  It 
was  heated  with  a  stove. 

At  a  meeting  held  in  March,  1800,  a  report  was  made  to 
the  church  to  the  effect  that  a  "penal  bill"  had  been  granted 
Isaac  Griffin,  Esq.,  and  Nathan  Martin,  to  compel  Samuel 
Woodbridge  or  his  heirs  to  make  a  deed  for  one-half  acre  o^ 
ground  to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  "where  the  meeting 
house  stands  in  Mifflintown,"  later  called  Woodbridgetown, 
in  honour  of  Samuel  Woodbridge. 

Whatever  difference  may  have  existed  between  the  church 
and  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  must  have  been  amicably 
adjusted  before  the  death  of  the  latter,  for  Rev.  John 
Davis  of  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  who  visited  the  Woodbridgetown 
Church  in  1821,  says  that  this  church  had  a  house  of  worship 
and  a  graveyard  at  Woodbridgetown;  that  adjoining  it,  there 
was  a  lot  of  six  acres  of  land  left  the  church  by  Rev.  Samuel 
Woodbridge,  for  a  parsonage,  but  that  Rev.  Samuel  Wood- 


I.     "Other    preachers    were    John    Corbly,    Stone,    Mayberry,    and 

Thomas  Hersey,  who  was  chaplain  of  a  regiment  in  the  war  of  1812.  William 
Brownfield  preached  there  sometimes."  Ellis,  History  of  Fayette  County,  Penn- 
sylvania, p.   578. 


THE  WOODBRIDGETOWN  CHURCH  yy 

bridge's  widow  was  to  have  the  use  of  this  land,  however, 
until  the  church  had  a  settled  pastor.^ 

CLERKS. 

The  church  records  also  show  the  following- : —  That  on 
November  8,  1789,  Stephen  Dunham  was  elected  clerk  of 
the  church.  May  22,  1796,  Owen  David  was  elected  to  the 
same  office.  Benjamin  F.  Bond  was  appointed  clerk  on  May 
17,  1840.  The  last  entry  made  in  the  record  book,  under  date 
of  April,  1849,  is  signed  by  Jonathan  Bond,  Clerk,  pro  tern. 

No  record  appears,  however,  from  December  28,  1810,  to 
August  4,  1830. 

DEACONS. 

The  deacons  of  the  church  were  as  follows : — 

James  Dunn,  chosen  on  trial  September  9,  1792,  and 
dismissed  from  the  church  August  15,  1805,  apparently  to  join 
the  French  Creek  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church.  Rev.  Samuel 
Woodbridge  was  instructed  to  ordain  him  formally  to  the 
office  of  deacon,  however,  before  his  departure. 

John  Shacklett  was  chosen  deacon,  March  12,  1801.  A 
record  appears,  however,  under  date  of  November  24,  1809, 
indicating  that  John  Shacklett  was  at  that  time  deceased,  and 
had  left  a  bequest  of  five  pounds  to  the  church. 

On  February  23,  1832,  Jonathan  Bond  was  chosen 
deacon.  In  the  following  May,  he  was  ordained  by  Rev.  Joel 
Greene. 

MINISTERS. 

Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge,  one  of  the  constituent  members, 
continued  an  active  minister  at  least  until  near  the  time  of  his 
death,  July  15,  1814. 

On  August  8,  1790,  John  Patterson  was  called  by  the 
church  "to  a  trial  of  his  gifts,"  and  on  the  i6th  of  the 
following  January  he  was  given  full  licence  to  preach  for  a 
period  of  six  months.  At  the  end  of  this  period,  Rev. 
Samuel  Woodbridge  was  instructed  to  write  John  Patterson's 
licence  to  preach,  the  licence  to  be  without  limitation  so  long 
as  the  holder  should  continue  sound  in  the  faith.  About  a  year 
and  a  half  afterward  the  church  voted  that  preparatory  to  his 


I.     Cf.     Last   Will  and  Testament  of  Rev.  Samuel  Woodhrige,   at  the  end  of 
this  chapter. 


78       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

ordination,  he  should  preach    a  series    of    sermons    on    the 
following  subjects : — 

I.  Doctrine  of  the  Trinity, 

II.  The  Old  and  New  Testaments, 

III.  The  Commandments  of  God. 

IV.  The  six  principles  of  Christ  as  found  in  Hebrews,  chapter  vi. 

V.  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

In  the  year  1809,  Rev.  Enoch  David  divided  the 
ministerial  care  of  the  church  with  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge. 

Lewis  Sammons,  who  had  been  received  as  a  member 
previously  from  a  First  Day  Baptist  church,  was  licenced  on 
the  i6th  of  September,  1838,  to  preach  the  gospel  for  one  year. 

In  May,  1840,  the  licence  was  renewed  for  one  year,  and 
a  year  later  it  was  renewed  without  limitation.  But  in 
December,  1842,  he  was  excommunicated  from  the  church  for 
abandoning  the  Sabbath. 

The  church  records  show  the  following  visits  from 
ministers  from  other  chcurches  of  the  denomination : — 

August,  1830,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis, 

February,  1832,  Walter  B.  Gillette  (not  j-et  ordained), 

April,  1832,  Rev.  Peter  Davis, 

May,  1832,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis, 

June,  1832,  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  on  his  way  to  Virginia, 

July,  1832,  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  on  his  return  from  Virginia, 

Winter  of  1832-33,  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell, 

Winter  of  1834,  Rev.  Stillman  Coon, 

May,  1835,  Rev.  Stillman  Coon, 

April,  1839,  Rev.  Joel  Greene, 

February,  1844,  Richard  C.  Bond, 

April,   1844,  Richard  C.  Bond. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

It  was  not  until  the  year  1832,  that  the  Woodbridgetown 
Church  became  a  member  of  the  General  Conference,  at  its 
annual  session  held  at  Brookfield,  New  York,  beginning 
September  6. 

When  the  South-Western  Association  was  formed  in  1839, 
the  Woodbridgetown  Church  became  one  of  its  constituent 
members.  It  was  also  admitted  to  membership  in  the 
Virginia  Association  in  185 1. 

A   LIST   OF    MEMBERS    OF   THE    WOODBRIDGETOWN    CHURCH. 

Names.  Date  Received. 

Samuel  Woodbridge,  Elder,  Nov.    8,  1789, 


THE  WOODBRIDGETOWN  CHURCH 


79 


Stephen  Dunham,  Clerk,  Nov.    8,  1789, 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  Nov.    8,  1789, 

Margaret  Fitz  Randolph,  Nov.    8,  1789, 

John  Morris,  (by  baptism),  June     6,  1790, 
(Dismissed,  Nov.  13,  1790), 
(          "           Nov.  II,  1792), 

John  Patterson,  (by  letter),  Aug.    8,  1790, 

Ann  Woodbridge,    (by  letter),  Aug.    8,  1790, 

Jonathan    Preston,    (by   baptism),  Oct.    30,  1790, 

(Dismissed  Nov.  13,  1790) j 

Elisabeth  Brand,  (by  letter),  June  18,  1791, 
Obed  Meredith,  (by  letter  from  the  First  Day  Baptist 

Church),  Mar.  20,  1792, 

Sally  Patterson,  (by  letter),  June   14,  1792, 
Leah  Sturgus,  (by  letter  from  the  First  Day  Baptist 

Church  at  "Conotoway"),  June   14,  1792, 

James  Dunn,   (by  letter  from  Piscataway),  Aug.     9,  1792, 

(Dismissed,  Aug.  15,  1805), 
Cornelius     Williams,      (from      First-Day      Baptist 

Church  without  a  letter),  Sept.     9,  1792, 
(Dismissed,  June  9,  1804,  to  New  Salem,  Va.), 

Rhoda  Bacon,  Sept.    9,  1792, 

Mary  Griffin,  (admitted  to  communion),  Jan.     13,  1793, 

Job  Bacon,  (admitted  to  communion).  Mar.  10,  1793, 

Owen  David,  (by  letter  from  Piscataway),  Apl.    12,  1795, 

John  Clayton,  

John  Shacklett,  (by  baptism),  Sept.    3,  1796, 

Ann  Martin,  (by  baptism).  Mar.  17,  1797, 

Lois  Day,  (member  in  church),  Feb.     9,  1798, 

Jehu  John,  Feb.     9,  1798, 

Elisabeth  John,  (wife  of  Jehu),  Feb.     9,  1798, 

Elisabeth  David,  Feb.     9,  1798, 

Rachel  Drake,  June   15,  1798, 

(Dismissed,  May  24,  1799), 

Naomi  David,  June   15,  1798, 

Abraham  Wells,  (baptized),  Sept.  15,  1798, 

Ann  Wells,  (wife  of  Abraham,  baptized),  Sept.  15,  1798, 

Abraham  Martin,  (baptized),  Dec.          1798, 

Nathaniel   Martin,  Mar.  20,  1801, 

Elisabeth  Shacklett,  Mar.  20,  1801, 

Ann  Mundy,  Mar.  20,  1801, 

Barbara  Taylor,  Mar.  20,  1801, 
Hannah   Davis,    (by  letter   from   First  Day   Baptist 

Church  of  Mt.  Moriah),  Sept.     i,  1809, 

Mary  Peirman,  (by  baptism),  Oct.    12,  1810, 

Mary  Woodbridge,  (by  baptism),  Oct.    12,  1810, 

Jonathan  Bond,  Aug.    4,  1830, 

Naomi  Bond,  Aug.    4,  1830, 


8o       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Daniel  David^  Aug.    7,  1830, 

Jane  David,  Aug.    7,  1830, 

(Removed  to  Ohio,  1835), 

Nancy   Nicholson,  

Francis  Nicholson,   (by  baptism),  Apl.     i,  1832, 

Joseph    Watkins,    (letter     from    First-Day     Baptist 

Church),  June   16,  1832, 

(Removed  to  Ohio,  1835), 
Sarah  Watkins,  (wife  of  Joseph.    Letter  from  First- 

Day  Baptist  Church),  June   16,  1832, 

(Removed  to  Ohio,  1835), 
William  David,  June   16,  1832, 

(Removed  to  Ohio,   1835), 
Isaac  David  and  wife,  July   31,  1832, 

(Removed  to  Wisconsin), 
Ebenezer  David,  May  1835, 

Penelope  David,  May  1835, 

Mary  Hall,  May  1835, 

(Removed  to  Iowa), 

John  Kildow,  1837  or  1838, 

Lewis  Sammons,  (from  First  Day  Baptist  Church),  Apl.         1838, 

Joseph  David,  (baptized) 

Mary  Ann  David,  (wife  of  Joseph.    From  First  Day 

Baptists), 
Benjamin  F.  Bond, 

(Dismissed  Mar.  9,  1844,  to  Rock  Co.,  Wis.), 
Frances  Bond,  (his  wife), 
David  Dunn, 

Charlotte  Dunn,  (his  wife), 
Sarah  Dunn, 
Richard  C.  Bond,  Jr., 
Jane  Jones, 

deaths. 

Elisabeth   David,   departed  this  life   August  20,   1833.    Aged  60 
years,  2  months,  2  days. 

Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge,  departed  this  life  July  15,  1814. 

Nancy  Nicholson,  departed  this  life   February  22,   1834,  in  the 
58th  year  of  her  age. 

Mary  Griffin,  departed  this  life  May  25,  1835,  in  the  79th  year  of 
her  age. 

John  Kildow,  died  February  9,  1839. 

Mrs.  Frances  W.  Bond,  died  June  17,  1843,  (wife  of  Benjamin  F. 
Bond). 

Daniel  G.  W.  David,  died  May  7th,  1861,  in  the  94th  year  of  his 
age. 
(5) 


tQ-,Q 

Apl. 

Apl. 
Apl. 
Apl. 
Apl. 
Aug. 

7,   1839, 

7,  1839, 
7,  1839, 
7,  1839, 
7,   1839, 
1844, 
—  1850. 

THE  WOODBRIDGETOWN  CHURCH  8 1 

LAST  WILL  AND  TESTAMENT  OF  REV.  SAMUEL  WOODBRIDGE. 

Recorded  in  the  office  of  Register  of  Wills,  Will  Book 
No.  I,  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania. 

"In  the  Name  of  God  Amen — 

I  Samuel  Woodbridge  of  Fayette  County  and  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Georges  township,  Mifflin  Town,  being  well  in  body  and  of 
a  sound  mind  and  memory,  blessed  be  God  for  all  his  favours  through 
Christ  his  dear  Son — ,  I  do  make  and  publish  this  my  last  will  in  the 
following  manner,  that  is  to  say,  after  all  my  debts  is  paid — 

"I  will  and  bequeath  unto  my  wife  Anne  Woodbridge  all  my  real 
and  personal  estate  during  her  natural  life — provided  she  gives  my 
mother  Mary  Woodbridge  one  feather  bed  and  beding  and  a  room  with 
a  fier  place  in  it  and  fierwood  and  board  during  her  natural  life — . 

"Likewise  at  the  death  of  my  wife  Ann  Woodbridge  I  impower  her 
to  dispose  of  my  moveables  at  her  pleasure.  And  if  she  makes  know 
will  I  bequeath  them  to  Woodbridge  Oliphant  and  Julit  Oliphant  after 
they  come  of  age — to  be  equally  divided. 

"I  will  unto  my  mother,  Mary  Woodbridge,  provided  she  outlives 
my  wife,  Ann  Woodbridge,  the  former  privileges  above  mentioned  to 
her  and  five  pound  per  year  and  her  fier  wood  cut  and  holed  to  my 
house,  said  five  pounds  is  to  buy  her  cloaths  or  what  she  may  think 
best,  to  be  paid  by  my  executors  or  by  my  niece  Sarah  Oliphant  who 
is  to  have  possession  of  my  estate.  After  the  death  of  my  wife,  Ann 
Woodbridge,  and  at  the  death  of  said  Sarah  Oliphant,  it  is  to  be 
divided  equally  between  her  children — Woodbridge  Oliphant  &  Julit 
Oliphant. 

"Again  after  my  death  I  bind  either  of  the  above  mentioned  persons 
that  may  possess  my  real  estate  to  give  when  demanded  of  them,  or 
either  of  them,  to  my  sister's  children,  Elisabeth  Brown,  who  died  last 
year  in  New  York,  an  in  lot  and  out  lot  in  Mifflin  town,  two  to  each 
child  as  they  are  laid  out  in  the  Plot  of  said  town. 

"I  likewise  will  one  half  acre  of  land  an  which  the  meeting  house 
stands,  and  an  out  lot,  to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptis  Church  now  metting 
at  Mifflin  town  as  it  is  laid  off  in  the  town  plot  to  a  pepole  holding 
the  following  doctrins — 

"First,  The  Doctrine  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 

"Second,  The  fall  of  Man. 

"Third,  Recovery  only  by  Christ's  Holy  Life  and  painfull  death. 

"Fourth,  The  doctrin  of  regeneration. 

"Fifth,  Perseverence  of  Saints. 

"Sixth,  The  ten  commandment  law  Recorded  in  Exd.  20  as  a  rule 
of  life  and  practise —  The  Seventh  day  Sabbath  as  a  day  of  rest  from 
servile  labour. 

"Seventh,  Belivers  baptism  only  by  dipping. 

"Eighth,  The  eternal  happiness  of  the  Saints  in  heaven  and  the 
torments  of  the  wicked  in  hell. 

"I  likewise  will  to  Hanah  Merideth,  daughter  of  Davis  Merideth, 


82       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

one  lot  containing  one  quarter  of  an  acre  fronting  Anon  street,  North 
West  side  of  said  street,  adjoining  the  land  of  James  Tate — 

"I  likewise  appoint  Cornel  Zeadock  Springer  [and]  John  Oliphant 

excutors,  and  my  wife,  Ann  Woodbridge,  executrix  to  this  my  last  will, 

"As  witness  my  hand  and  seal  this  twentieth  day  of  August,  1799 — 

"Samuel  Woodbridge  (seal) 
"Witness  present 

"Dan.  W.  David,  13th  October  1814. 

"Samuel  Cooley,  30th  Sept.  1814, 

"Jehu  John."  - 


lUIJUtflJOUIAilJUiLMJIJUIJU^^ 


VI. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH. 


F 


*inr»nirir¥¥irir!OiJl5 


the  time  the  Shrewsbury 
Church  left  its  old  home  in  New 
Jersey,  in  September,  1789,  until 
after  its  arrival  at  New  Salem,  Vir- 
ginia, the  church  records  are 
wholly  silent,  save  for  the  death  of 
William  Davis,  at  White  Day 
Creek,  July  15,  1791. 

The     records     begin     anew     as 
follows : — 


"May  the  13,  1792. 
"The  Church  met  in  conference  at  New  Salem,  where  the  Church, 
or  part  of  them,  is  now  embodied ;  this  being  the  first  opportunity  of 
coming  under  regular  discipline  in  church  order  since  we   left  New 
Jersey." 

Henceforth  the  church  abandoned  the  name  of  "Shrews- 
bury," and  was  known,  first  as  the  "New  Salem,"  and 
afterward  as  the  "Salem,"  Church,  its  present  name. 

Not  all  the  company  that  originally  set  out  from  New 
Jersey,  came  to  New  Salem.  Death  had  claimed  some  on  the 
way,  and  others  had  selected  homes  by  the  wayside.  Some 
had  settled  on  the  West  Fork  of  the  Monongahela  River,  a  little 
south  of  the  mouth  of  Ten  Mile  Creek,  where  a  small  stream 
known  as  Lamberts  Run  enters  the  West  Fork  River,  at  a 
distance  of  less  than  twenty  miles  from  New  Salem. 

As  early  as  June  28,  1793,  a  request  was  presented  to  the 
New  Salem  Church  by  these  settlers  at  the  mouth  of  Lamberts 
Run,  to  be  organised  into  a  separate  church.  This  request  was 
granted,  and  the  West  Fork  River  Church  resulted,  only  to  go 


84  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

crashing  into  oblivion  a  few  years  afterward,  over  the  precipice 
of  "open  communion." 

Soon  after  coming  to  its  new  home,  the  New  Salem 
Church  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  by  death  of  its 
pastor,  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  who  in  the  summer  of  1793,  went 
away  on  a  missionary  journey  to  Fayette  Covmty,  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  he  was  taken  sick  and  died,  July  17,  of  that  year. 
He  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  adjoining  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  meeting  house  at  Woodbridgetown. 

Rev.  Isaac  Morris  soon  joined  the  West  Fork  River  Church. 
On  Alarch  8,  1795,  by  vote  of  the  church,  Rev.  John  Patterson 
became  pastor  of  the  New  Salem  Church.  At  short  intervals, 
Joseph  Davis,  Alosher  Alaxson,  and  Zebulon  Alaxson  were  all 
licenced  to  preach;  and  in  1801,  John  Davis  was  ordained  pas- 
tor by  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  of  the  Woodbrigetown 
church,  and  Rev.  John  Patterson.  Two  years  afterward,  Rev. 
John  Patterson  was  debarred  from  communion  because  of  a 
lack  of  loyalty  to  the  church. 

Meantime  the  church  was  kept  busily  occupied  in  dealing 
with  members  who  were  summoned  before  the  bar  of  the 
church  for  petty,  as  well  as  for  more  serious,  breaches  of 
church  discipline,  besides  performing  the  functions  of 
the  court  of  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Business  differences  were 
regularly  taken  to  the  church,  and  members  whose  opinions 
of  their  respective  pugilistic  powers  led  them  astray,  were 
threated  with  the  "awful  sentence  of  excommunication," 
which  appears  in  the  records  as  late  as  November,  1822.  At 
one  time,  the  church  ordered  William  Davis  to  make  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  fence  rails  for  one  of  his  brethren,  and  Thomas 
Badcock  {sic)  was  instructed  not  to  pay  a  bill  presented  by 
James  Maxson. 

On  July  8,  1798,  Thomas  Maxson  and  Jesse  Maxson 
called  upon  the  church  to  pass  judgment  upon  the  merits  of  a 
horse  trade  in  which  they  were  the  principals.  On  another 
occasion,  a  member  was  denied  the  privileges  of  the  church 
because  he  "hath  challenged  Salem  Settlement  in  general  for 
fighting,  and  the  world  at  large."  Again  George  Maxson 
brought  complaint  against  several  of  his  own  brothers,  con- 
cerning   some    business     transactions,    and    the    latter    were 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  85 

ordered,  each,  to  pay  the  former,  three  bushels  and  ten  quarts 
of  corn. 

The  second  church  meeting-  held  at  New  Salem  was  called 
"to  settle  some  business  between  Brother  William  Maxson  and 
Mosher  Maxson ;  and  it  was  agreed  that  William  Maxson 
leturn  the  slait  [sic]  to  Mosher  Maxson  and  pay  twenty- 
eight  shillings,  and  Mosher  to  return  the  ax  and  bettle  rings  to 
William  Maxson." 

The  church  quickly  recognised  the  need  of  a  house  of 
worship  in  its  new  home,  and  soon  took  steps  preparatory  to 
building  one.  On  June  13,  1795,  the  size  and  style  of  house 
were  agreed  upon,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  superintend 
its  erection.  Whether  such  a  house  was  built  or  not  does  not 
appear  from  the  records.  At  all  events,  on  January  10,  1796, 
the  church  instructed  the  deacon  to  arrange  for  Thomas  Bab- 
cock's  house  for  a  place  of  worship,  and  in  case  of  failure  to 
procure  that,  to  obtain  John  Davis's.  On  August  9,  1801,  the 
church  voted  to  try  to  buy  the  house  in  which  they  met  for 
worship,  and  offered  fifty  dollars  ($50.00)  for  it.  Either  this 
offer  was  rejected,  or  the  church  after  a  little  reflection,  pre- 
ferred to  build  a  new  house,  for  a  week  later,  on  August  16, 
the  church  voted  to  build  a  meeting  house  on  the  lower  side 
of  the  burying  ground. 

Upon  their  arrival  at  New  Salem,  the  new  settlers  had 
erected  their  cabins  about  a  block-house,  which  they  built  for 
their  mutual  protection,  a  common  kind  of  defence  on  the 
frontier  in  those  times,  but  soon  after  Wayne's  victory  over  the 
Indians,  at  the  Maumee,  in  1794,  all  danger  from  the  savages 
passed  away,  and  the  settlers  began  to  scatter  to  Buckeye 
Creek,  Buckeye  Run,  Flint  Run,  Middle  Island  Creek,  Meat 
House  Fork,  Greenbrier  Run,  Cherry  Camp,  Halls  Run,  etc. ; 
so  that  before  many  years  had  passed,  the  New  Salem  Church, 
in  order  to  accommodate  the  various  groups  of  its  members, 
some  of  whom  were  situated  several  miles  distant  from  New 
Salem,  maintained  church  services  at  Middle  Island  (now 
West  Union),  on  Greenbrier  Run,  and  on  Halls  Run.  At 
Middle  Island  and  on  Greenbrier  Run,  log  meeting  houses 
were  built.  Business  meetings  were  held  in  all  three  places, 
in  turn  with  the  village  of  New  Salem.  It  is  probable  that 
communion  service  was  likewise  held  at  all  these  places. 


86         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

In  the  meantime,  the  Bonds  from  Cecil  County,  Maryland, 
had  arrived  and  settled  on  Lost  Creek  and  Hackers  Creek. 
They  were  joined  by  other  members  of  the  New  Salem 
church,  and  in  1805,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  organised. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis  was  received  into  the  New  Salem  church 
sometime  between  August  16,  1807  and  December  28,  18 15, 
licenced  to  preach  in  1819,  and  ordained  as  a  duly  accredited 
minister  in  December,  1823,  at  Middle  Island,  by  Rev.  John 
Davis  and  Rev.  John  Greene.  Rev.  John  Greene,  in  company 
with  Deacon  Zaccheus  Maxson,  of  Truxton,  New  York,  at 
this  time  was  on  a  missionary  visit  to  the  churches  in  western 
Virginia.  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis  was  ordained  on  January 
15th,  following,  by  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Rev.  John  Greene. 

Previous  to  the  visit  of  Rev.  John  Greene  and  Deacon 
Zaccheus  Maxson,  several  missionary  visits  had  been  made 
to  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches.  In  the  winter  of 
1818-1819,  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells,  of  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island, 
and  Rev.  Samuel  Davis,  of  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  had  visited 
them.  In  the  following  summer,  that  of  1819,  Rev.  Amos  R. 
Wells  visited  them  again,  and  then  once  more  in  the  summer 
of  1820.  In  1821,  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Deacon  John  Bright, 
both  of  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  visited  these  churches ;  and  in  the 
winter  of  1821-1822,  Rev.  John  Greene  made  them  his  first 
visit.  These  visits  strengthened  and  encouraged  both  churches 
greatly. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis  engaged  in  pastoral  work  along  with 
Rev.  John  Davis.  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis  engaged  in  missionary 
work,  giving  his  time  largely  to  the  interests  of  the  Virginia 
churches  for  the  first  two  or  three  years,  and  then  transferring 
the  field  of  his  activity  to  the  churches  in  Ohio,  where  he  and 
his  wife,  Rebecca,  transferred  their  membership  from  the  New 
Salem  Church  to  the  Pike  Church  in  1833. 

For  a  few  years  about  this  time,  the  New  Salem  Church 
enjoyed  a  season  of  great  prosperity.  From  the  Quarterly 
Meeting  in  November,  1829,  until  the  Quarterly  Meeting  in 
February,  1830,  a  period  of  three  months,  seventy-two  souls 
were  added  to  the  church. 

In  183 1,  the  Middle  Island  Church  was  organised  with 
twenty-nine  members  drawn  from  the  membership  of  the  New 
Salem  Church,  and  others  soon  followed.     This  church  was 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  87 

located  at  Lewisport  (now  West  Union),  and  included  not 
only  those  who  lived  in  that  immediate  vicinity,  but  those,  also, 
who  had  settled  on  the  Meat-  House  Fork  of  Middle  Island 
Creek.  These  settlers  lived  at  a  distance  of  from  four  to  eight 
miles  from  Lewisport,  and  included  the  numerous  Bee  families, 
who  with  the  Kelleys  had  come  from  near  Salem,  New,  Jersey. 

The  first  book  of  records  of  the  New  Salem  Church  closes 
with  the  minutes  of  the  church  meeting  held  April  11,  1834, 
and  contains  the  history  of  the  church  for  a  period  of  eighty- 
nine  years. 

A  new  record  book  was  purchased,  and  the  first  entry 
made  under  date  of  February  10,  1833,  fourteen  months  before 
the  date  of  the  final  entry  in  the  old  book. 

The  over-lapping  of  records  was  due  to  some  of  the 
troubles  which  overtook  the  church  about  this  time  and  pur- 
sued it  for  a  period  of  twenty  years ;  and  at  two  different 
times  shook  it  to  its  foundations.  These  troubles  which 
appear  to  have  been  more  or  less  closely  related,  seem  to  fall 
into  three  classes,  as  follows : — 

Doctrinal,  organic,  and  personal. 

First.  Doctrinal.  Rev.  Peter  Davis  had  aroused  dis- 
trust as  to  his  orthodoxy  as  early  as  1825,  by  the  public  avowal 
of  certain  beliefs  concerning  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  For 
this,  he  was  cited  to  appear  before  the  bar  of  the  church ;  and 
pending  his  trial,  was  barred  from  communion.  After  a  space 
of  nearly  two  years,  the  trouble  was  amicably  adjusted  by  a 
joint  committee  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches, 
which  after  listening  to  an  exposition  of  his  views,  could  find 
nothing  unscriptural  in  them,  whereupon  the  charges  were 
dismissed,  and  he  was  restored  to  full  communion  with  the 
church. 

Again  in  1834,  a  group  of  the  membership  living  on 
Greenbrier  Run,  including  Rev.  Peter  Davis  and  Ezekiel  Bee, 
refused  to  abide  by  the  covenant  of  the  church,  and  declared 
themselves  in  favour  of  open  communion.  This  defection 
caused  anxiety  for  a  time,  but  it  finally  subsided,  and  was  for- 
gotten in  the  excitement  of  more  threatening  events. 

Second.  Organic.  Early  in  the  year  1834,  complaint 
was  made  to  the  church,  in  church  meeting,  that  two  of  its 
members  had  taken  unlawful  possession  of  the  church  book, 


88  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

and  that  a  third  member  had  circulated  "a  superscription  to 
divide  the  church."  At  a  subsequent  meeting,  the  two  mem- 
bers charged  with  seizing  the  church  book  were  excommuni- 
cated. It  was  further  decided  that  the  third  offender  "should 
be  dealt  with  for  taking  an  active  part  in  the  division  of  the 
church." 

The  church  was  now  in  a  state  of  chaos,  and  unable  to 
decide  for  itself  what  its  organic  status  was.  It  called  in  a 
committee,  composed  of  members  of  the  Lost  Creek  and 
Middle  Island  churches,  which  decided  that  although  the 
seceding  party  was  in  possession  of  the  records,  it  not  only 
did  not  represent  the  original  organisation,  but  it  did  not  even 
have  any  accepted  or  legal  standing,  whatever,  and  could  be 
treated  only  as  a  body  of  seceders.  The  decision  of  the  joint 
committee  was  not  satisfactory,  and  the  church  appealed  to 
the  General  Conference,  convened  for  its  annual  session  at 
DeRuyter,  New  York,  in  September,  1834.  The  General  Con- 
ference referred  the  questions  involved  to  a  special  committee, 
consisting  of  William  B.  Maxson,  ]\Iartin  Wilcox,  Daniel 
Coon,  Joel  Greene,  and  John  Whitford.  This  committee 
reported  as  follows : — 

"From  sundry  communications,  it  appears  that  a  serious  and 
unhappy  difficulty  exists  in  the  Salem,  Va.,  church,  which  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  committee,  is  calculated  to  injure,  if  not  to  prostrate  the 
interest  and  influence  of  the  churches  of  our  connection  in  that  section 
of  the  country ;  and  to  us  it  appears  that  the  difficulty  is  of  a  character 
which  would  render  it  very  difficult  to  render  them  efficient  aid  by  any 
written  communications.  We  therefore,  suggest  to  the  General 
Conference,  the  propriety  of  sending  two  capable  brethren  to  assist 
them  in  reconciling  their  difficulties,  and  restoring  to  them  peace  and 
good  order ;  and  that  a  letter  be  directed  to  be  written  to  them,  entreat- 
ing them  to  desist  from  uncharitable  and  harsh  proceedings,  and 
advising  them  of  the  appointment  of  the  committee  to  visit  them." 

The  General  Conference  adopted  the  report  of  the 
special  committee,  and  appointed  as  the  committee  to  visit  the 
New  Salem  Church,  Joel  Greene  and  Nathan  V.  Hull,  w-ith 
Alexander  Campbell  as  alternate  for  Joel  Greene. 

But  one  member  of  the  committee.  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  was 
able  to  visit  Virginia,  in  accordance  with  the  appointment  of 
the  General  Conference.  He  was  assisted  in  his  duties,  how- 
ever, by  Rev.  Stillman  Coon,  who  was  at  that  time  labouring 
among  the  Virginia  churches. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  89 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference  held  in 
September,  of  the  following  year  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island, 
Rev.  Joel  Greene,  reported  as  follows : — 

"The  undersigned,  one  of  the  committee  appointed  last  session  to 
visit  several  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in  Virginia,  beg  leave  to 
report  that  we  have  visited  those  churches,  accompanied  and  assisted 
by  Brother  Stillman  Coon,  our  missionary  in  that  quarter,  and  after  a 
very  laborious  and  protracted  investigation  of  the  case  of  the  New 
Salem  Church,  had  the  happiness  to  see  those  difficulties  which  so 
afflicted  them  and  the  friends  of  Zion  in  that  country  entirely  removed 
and  settled,  the  church  again  united  and  promising  to  live  peaceably 
and  usefully  in  the  world. 

"Joel  Greene." 

Third.  Personal.  Disagreements  and  difficulties 
between  individual  members,  were  constantly  brought  before 
the  church  for  adjustment;  but  for  the  most  part,  they  in  no 
way  disturbed  the  equilibrium  of  the  church.  Nevertheless  at 
about  the  time  of  the  difficulties  just  described,  several  things 
conspired  to  make  one  of  these  personal  difficulties  an  event 
of  portentous  importance. 

With  the  establishment  of  the  village  of  New  Salem  by 
the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  and  the  attendant  appoint- 
ment of  several  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church  as  trus- 
tees of  the  village,  came  a  gradual  recognition  of  the  civil 
courts  as  the  proper  medium  for  the  adjustment  of  business 
differences ;  and  gradually  disagreements  growing  out  of 
business  transactions  ceased  to  be  brought  to  the  church  for 
settlement;  The  growth  of  sentiment  in  favour  of  this  new 
order  of  things  was  greatly  facilitated  by  the  fact  that  several 
members  of  the  church  were  elected  to  the  office  of  justice  of 
the  peace,  in  whose  courts  many  of  these  cases  were  tried. 
Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph  and  Nathan  Davis  were  two  of  the 
more  prominent  members  of  the  church  holding  this  office.  It 
naturally  followed,  then,  that  even  the  more  simple  legal 
technicalities  and  formalities,  such  as  are  accepted  as  a  mere 
matter  of  course  by  the  average  citizen  of  to-day,  were  more 
or  less  confusing  to  the  minds  of  the  many  to  whom  such 
things  were  wholly  new  and  strange,  and  it  required  several 
decades  for  them  to  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
new  regime. 

Along  with  the  advent  of  the  courts,  with  their  more  for- 


90  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

mal  methods  of  transacting  business,  came  a  demand  on  the 
part  of  the  more  progressive  business  men  of  the  church,  that 
the  business  of  the  church  should  be  conducted  upon  business 
principles,  and  that  the  church  records  should  be  made  more 
complete,  and  more  accurate.  Complete  the  records  never 
had  been ;  and  hazy,  ambiguous,  and  indefinite  they  often 
were.  The  minutes  of  church  meetings  were  originally  writ- 
ten upon  loose  bits  of  paper,  which  were  taken  home  by  the 
clerk  of  the  church  and  laid  away  to  be  transcribed  at  his  con- 
venience. Often  they  were  mislaid,  and  the  records  written 
up  from  memory  several  weeks  or  months  afterwards,  or  not 
transcribed  at  all.  More  often  than  otherwise,  the  minutes 
were  not  approved  formally,  by  the  church.  This  loose  con- 
dition of  the  records  was  aggravated  by  the  fact  that  the 
business  meetings  were  held  in  different  neighbourhoods  by 
turn,  several  miles  apart,  necessitating  several  clerks  pro 
tempore,  who  often  acted  for  but  a  single  day. 

These  facts  will,  at  least  partly,  explain  the  fundamental 
causes  of  the  troubles,  the  general  details  of  which  follow ; 
troubles  which  again  threatened  the  stability  of  the  New  Salem 
Church,  and  which  not  only  brought  that  church  into  unpleas- 
ant relations  with  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  and  the  South- 
western Association,  but  finally  compelled  the  Xew  Salem 
church  to  repudiate  its  second  book  of  records,  covering  a 
period  of  upwards  of  thirteen  years,  as,  in  certain  vital 
respects,  entirely  untrustworthy,  and  to  confess  itself  wholly 
unable  ever  to  correct  the  errors   satisfactorily. 

A  careful  study  of  the  records  has  been  made  by  the 
present  writer,  and  untrustworthy  as  these  records  are,  he 
believes  that  the  essential  facts  in  the  controversy  are  set  forth 
in  this  chapter. 

At  a  business  meeting  of  the  church  held  on  May  20,  183 1, 
Joshua  G.  Davis  preferred  certain  charges  to  the  church  against 
William  F.  Randolph.  These  charges  grew  out  of  a  suit  at  law, 
before  Nathan  Davis,  Escjuire,  a  justice  of  the  peace,  in  which 
both  Joshua  G.  Davis  and  William  F.  Randolph  were  con- 
cerned. At  the  next  business  meeting  of  the  church,  all  but 
one  of  the  charges  were  dismissed.  This  charge  was  after- 
ward referred  to  a  committee  of  nine  members,  of  which  Rev. 
Peter  Davis  was  chairman.     This  committee  reported  that  in 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


91 


their  opinion,  an  apology  was  due  from  William  F.  Randolph. 
This  he  declined  to  make,  and,  according  to  the  record,  on 
August  19,  1831,  was  debarred  from  communion.^  After  one 
or  two  further  unsuccessful  attempts  to  adjust  the  difficulty, 
William  F.  Randolph  was  excommunicated  from  the  church, 
May  13,  1832.  The  affair  remained  in  statu  quo  until  August 
9,  1835,  when  William  F.  Randolph  appeared  before  the 
church  and  made  a  satisfactory  acknowledgment.  He  was 
accordingly  restored  to  membership,  and  the  incident  was 
considered  closed. 

On  May  19,  1837,  William  F.  Randolph  called  the  atten- 
tion of  the  church  to  the  lack  of  completeness  of  the  record 
concerning  the  dealings  of  the  church  with  him. 

Accordingly,  the  church  requested  Rev.  Stillman  Coon, 
who  was  labouring  among  the  churches  in  western  Virginia  at 
that  time,  and  Abel  Bond  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  to 
examine  the  records  and  report  to  the  church. 

This  committee  rendered  its  report  eleven  months  after- 
ward, April  20,  1838,  as  follows : — 

"To  THE  New  Salem  Church  ;  Dear  Brethren  : —  Your  Com- 
mittee appointed  to  examine  the  records  of  the  proceedings  of  the 
church  in  the  case  of  the  deal  with  William  F.  Randolph,  beg  leave  to 
report,  [that]  after  careful  examination,  we  are  utterly  unable  to  ascer- 
tain the  nature  of  the  complaint  preferred  against  him  by  Joshua  Davis, 
neither  anything  definite  of  the  travissing  [i/V]  the  case ;  only  that  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  act  upon  it,  who  brought  him  in  guilty  of 
something  indefinable,  upon  which  he  was  excommunicated. 

"It  is  our  opinion  that  every  subject  taken  up  in  church  meeting, 
should  be  distinctly  stated,  as  also  every  act  of  the  church  thereon,  and 
in  this  manner  carried  on  to  the  book,  so  that  any  person  reading  can 
understand  it ;  and  we  believe  any  church  greatly  in  fault,  that  suffers 
their  clerk  to  remain  negligent  of  this  dut}^  and  now  if  the  records  can 
be  so  rectified  as  to  make  the  case  appear  in  its  true  colours,  we  would 
advise  that  it  be  done. 

"Yours  in  the  Gospel, 

"Stillman  Coon, 
"Abel  Bond." 

The  church  now  appointed  a  committee  of  five  members, 
with  Rev.  Peter  Davis  as  chairman,  to  correct  the  records. 
The  report  of  this  committee  was  unsatisfactory,  and  was  not 


I.     This  record,  it  will  be  observed  further  on  in  this  chapter,  was  afterward 
discredited   by   the   church    itself. 


92  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

adopted.  Then  followed  three  more  abortive  attempts  to 
correct  the  records. 

In  the  meantime,  William  F.  Randolph  had  been  admitted 
to  membership  in  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  March  8,  1840,  with 
the  result  that  the  New  Salem  Church,  on  November  19,  1840, 
voted  to  inquire  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  as  to  the  regularity 
of  its  action.  For,  according  to  the  records  of  the  New 
Salem  Church,  William  F.  Randolph  had  been  excommuni- 
cated a  second  time  on  February  14,  1840,  some  three  weeks 
before  the  date  of  his  admission  to  membership  in  the  Lost 
Creek  Church. 

After  a  lengthy  correspondence,  covering  about  a  year, 
the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches  referred  the  differ- 
ence between  the  two  churches  to  a  committee  of  six,  consist- 
ing of  two  members  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
Church  (formerly  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church),  one 
member  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  three  members  of  the 
Lost  Creek  Church.  The  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches 
bound  themselves  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  committee. 

This  committee  promptly  set  about  its  work,  and  on 
December  16,  1841,  reported  as  follows: — 

"the  report  of  the  joint  committee  appointed  by  the  lost  creek  and 
new  salem  churches. 

"December  6,  1841. 

"Agreeable  to  the  former  arrangements  of  the  New  Salem  and 
Lost  Creek  churches,  the  Committee  appointed  to  adjust  the  difficulty- 
existing  between  the  two  churches  in  regard  to  the  reception  of  Bro. 
Wm.  F.  Randolph,  met  and  the  grounds  of  dissatisfaction  were  pre- 
sented, which  was  the  receiving  of  an  excluded  member  into  the  Lost 
Creek  Church.  In  answer  to  the  above  complaint,  preferred  against  us 
by  the  Salem  Church,  we,  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  consider  we  are  justi- 
fiable in  receiving  Bro.  Randolph,  both  in  point  of  legality  and 
necessity. 

"ist.  It  was  legal  because  we  know  of  no  circumstances  that 
should  debar  him  from  the  privileges  of  the  connection ;  and 

"2nd.  We  understand  that  the  doors  of  the  Salem  Church  were 
open  for  him  to  come  in.  The  Committee  jointly  agree  that  the 
grounds  of  dissatisfaction  with  the  Lost  Creek  Church  were  not  of  such 
a  nature  as  they  supposed.  By  comparing  the  dates  of  the  records, 
we  find  that  he  was  received  before  the  case  was  re-acted  upon  by  the 
Salem  Church,  and  Bro.  Randolph  set  back.  The  Committee,  there- 
fore, 

"Resolve,  That  by  comparing  and  examining  the  records,  that  the 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


93 


minutes  of  Feb.  1840,  so  much  as  relates  to  Bro.  Randolph,  should  be 
transferred  to  the  minutes  of  the  May  meeting,  where  they  seem  to 
belong. 

"And   we   certify  that   the   differences   between   the   two   churches 
are  hereby  amicably  settled. 

"Given  under  our  hands  this  the  day  and  date  above  written. 

"Joshua  S.  Davis, 
"LoDOwicK  H.  Davis, 
"EzEKiEL  Bee, 
"Abel  Bond, 
"Levi  H.   Bond, 
"Eli    Bond. 

"Committee. 

From  this  report,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  trouble  between 
the  two  churches  was  due  to  gross  inaccuracies  in  the  records 
of  the  New  Salem  Church.  The  Lost  Creek  Church,  as  its 
records  showed,  instead  of  admitting  William  F.  Randolph  to 
membership  some  three  weeks  after  he  had  been  excommuni- 
cated from  the  New  Salem  Church,  really  had  admitted  him 
to  membership  while  he  was  a  member  in  good  standing  in 
the  New  Salem  Church,  and  more  than  two  months  before  the 
New  Salem  Church  voted  to  excommunicate  him. 

Thus  the  differences  between  the  New  Salem  and  Lost 
Creek  churches  were  amicably  adjusted,  but  the  relations 
between  William  F.  Randolph  and  the  New  Salem  Church 
were  more  strained  than  ever. 

The  original  charge  presented  to  the  church  by  Joshua 
G.  Davis  against  William  F.  Randolph,  had  never  been 
recorded.  After  having  been  lost  for  ten  years,  it  was  found 
among  the  papers  of  Joshua  G.  Davis  after  his  death,  and  pre- 
sented to  the  church,  August  19,  1841,  and  ordered  placed  on 
record,  more  than  a  year  after  William  F.  Randolph  had  been 
excommunicated  from  the  New  Salem  Church  the  second  time. 

On  January  13,  1842,  four  weeks  after  the  report  of  the 
joint  committee  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches 
had  been  presented,  correcting  an  error  of  date  in  the  records 
of  the  New  Salem  Church,  the  church  itself  recorded  the 
proof  of  another  error,  by  declaring  that  William  F.  Randolph 
had  not  been  debarred  from  communion,  August  19,  183 1,  for 
refusing  to  comply  with  a  recommendation  of  the  committee 
considering  his  case,  as  the  committee  in  question  had  made  no 
report  on  that  date. 


94 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


The  New  Salem  Church  now  appointed  another  com- 
mittee to  settle  its  differences  with  William  F.  Randolph,  and 
two  more  efforts  were  made  within  four  months  to  settle  the 
difficulty,  but  without  avail. 

On  the  i8th  day  of  October,  1843,  William  F.  Randolph 
carried  the  case  to  the  South-Western  Association,  at  that  time 
in  session  at  Lost  Creek,  Virginia. 

The  Association  appointed  a  committee,  consisting  of 
Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brown  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Bond,  to  take 
the  case  into  consideration.  The  committee  drafted  a  report, 
which  was  submitted  to  the  New  Salem  Church,  December  21, 
1843.  The  church  protested  that  the  association  had  over- 
stepped its  constitutional  jurisdiction  in  taking  up  the  case. 
This  action  by  the  church  was  displeasing  to  several  of  its 
members,  who  had  hoped  that  through  the  intercession  of  the 
association,  an  amicable  adjustment  of  the  whole  unfortunate 
affair  might  be  reached.  As  a  result  their  disappointment  was 
bitter,  and  in  the  heated  condition  of  feeling  then  prevalent, 
disruption  again  threatened  the  church. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  association  in  1843, 
failed  to  report  to  that  body,  which  at  its  annual  session  held 
at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio,  in  October,  1844,  appointed  another 
committee  to  take  the  matter  under  consideration.  This  com- 
mittee consisted  of  Rev.  Joel  Greene  and  Lewis  Bond.  They 
were  empowered  to  add  another  member  to  the  committee,  if 
they  deemed  it  necessary. 

The  new  committee  reported  to  the  association  at  its 
next  annual  session,  held  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  begin- 
ning October  8,  1845.  The  consideration  of  the  report,  which 
was  hotly  discussed,  occupied  the  attention  of  the  association 
for  the  greater  part  of  each  of  two  consecutive  days,  when, 
goaded  almost  to  desperation,  that  body  peremptorily  took  the 
following  drastic  action : — 

"JVhereaSj  Diflficulties  of  a  withering  nature  are  existing  in  the 
Association,  growing  out  of  action  in  the  affair  of  dealing  in  the  case 
of  WilHam  F.  Randolph,  which  are  injuring  our  influence  and  useful- 
ness in  the  vineyard  of  our  Lord,  and  investigation  seems  impracticable 
under  existing  circumstances ;  therefore 

"RESOLVED,  That  this  Association  close  and  settle  this  matter, 
to  be  considered  as  finally  settled  from  this  time  forward,  and  that 
papers  that  may  be  in  the  hands  of  individuals,  or  elsewhere,  relating 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  95 

to  the  afifair  (not  including  dockets  of  the  Association  or  churches, 
already  recorded),  be  burned,  and  that  it  shall  be  a  disorderly  act  of 
any  individual  or  individuals,  ever  to  move,  either  in  the  Association 
or  elsewhere,  the  matter,  and  be  dealt  wfith  accordingly  as  disorderly 
persons,  and  that  we  mutually  forgive  each  other  anything  that  may 
have  been  a  cause  of  hard  feelings,  and  strive  for  the  future  to  cultivate 
brotherly  love." 

Radical  as  the  action  of  the  association  was,  all  parties 
concerned  bowed  in  meek  submission.  Four  weeks  after  the 
final  adjournment  of  the  association,  the  New  Salem  Church 
met,  purged  its  records  of  condemnation  of  members  who,  as 
individuals,  were  parties  to  the  controversy,  restored  William 
F.  Randolph  to  full  fellowship  with  the  church,  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  action  of  the  association,  ''passed  a  resolution 
that  all  the  papers  in  the  chiireh  doeket  and  elsezvhere  not 
being  a  matter  of  record,  pertaining  to  the  case,  be  burnt,  and 
the  matter  be  finally  settled  from  this  day  forzvard,  and  any 
individual  stirring  up  anything  pertaining  to  the  case,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  or  make  any  move  thereabout  in  the 
church,  or  elsezvhere,  liereafter,  shall  be  considered  an  offen- 
der, and  dealt  zuith  accordingly."^ 

For  one  year  longer,  or  until  November  15,  1846,  the 
record  book  in  use  for  the  past  fourteen  years,  nearly,  con- 
tinued in  use.  On  this  date,  a  special  business  meeting  of  the 
church  was  called,  upon  the  request  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  Lodo- 
wick  H.  Davis,  and  Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  when  the  following 
action  was  taken  and  recorded  in  a  new  book : — 

"Whereas,  Unfavourable  difficulties  have  occurred  in  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Church  at  New  Salem,  from  some  derangement  in  the 
church  record,  and  doubting  that  they  can  ever  be  properly  revised  or 
arranged  or  corrected ;  we  therefore 

"RESOLVE,  To  lay  them  by  in  safe  keeping,  commencing  anew 
to  try  to  keep  a  correct  record,  resolving  in  the  future  to  discharge 
our  duty  to  God  and  each  other,  as  He  has  required  us  in  His  Word, 
leaving  all  past  difficulties  that  have  ever  occurred  in  the  church, 
considering  it  a  breach  of  the  covenant  in  any  member  to  mention  past 
difficulties  to  the  disturbance  of  any  member  of  the  church,  resolving 
to  keep  strict  gospel  order,  as  a  Gospel-organised  church,  at  least  as 
far  as  we  can. 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  procure  a  new  book  for  the  use  of  the 
church." 


Quoted  from  the  records  of  the  New   Salem  Church. 


96  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Thus  was  finally  laid  away  the  second  book  of  records  of 
the  New  Salem  Church,  a  book  whose  false  and  discredited 
contents  kept  the  church  in  a  state  of  internal  dissension  for 
a  period  of  thirteen  years,  disturbed  the  peaceful  relations  of 
the  New  Salem  Church  with  at  least  two  of  its  sister  churches, 
and  claimed  the  attention  of  the  South-Western  Association 
for  three  consecutive  years.  Its  records,  however,  whose 
inaccuracies  and  careless  entries  none  but  the  pen  of  the 
Recording  Angel  can  ever  blot  out,  have  passed  into  history. 
In  fact,  they  are  history ;  and  when  read  aright  in  the  larger 
sense,  they  portray  the  most  awful  struggle  in  the  eventful 
history  of  the  New  Salem  Church  during  the  more  then  a 
century  and  a  half  that  has  elapsed  since  it  was  constituted  in 

1745- 

Rev.  John  Davis,  so  long  the  pastor  of  the  church,  passed 
to  his  eternal  reward,  June  22,  1842,  and  Rev.  Peter  Davis, 
who  for  many  years  had  performed  the  most  of  the  duties  of 
the  pastor  of  the  church,  now  assumed  sole  charge. 

The  old  hewed  log  meeting  house  had  undergone  exten- 
sive repairs,  and  many  alterations  had  been  made.  But  it  was 
dark,  gloomy,  and  forbidding  at  best. 

The  business  meetings  and  communion  services  were  held 
at  New  Salem,  but  monthly  meetings  were  held  on  Greenbrier 
Run,  Meat  House  Fork,  and  Buckeye  Run. 

In  1850,  Rev.  Azor  Estee  began  his  labours  among  the 
churches  in  western  Virginia,  and  the  New  Salem  Church 
received  its  share  of  his  ministrations.  In  1856,  Rev.  David 
Clawson  came,  and  finally  determined  to  make  his  home  there 
permanently,  devoting  his  time  for  the  most  part,  to  the  needs 
of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches.  But  death  soon 
claimed  him,  and  he  passed  to  his  eternal  reward,  ^larch  6, 
i860.  His  last  resting  place  was  chosen  in  the  graveyard 
adjoining  the  Old  Frame  Meeting  House  at  Lost  Creek,  where 
his  grave  is  marked  by  a  suitable  monument,  bearing  a  record 
of  his  earthly  labours,  erected  by  the  New  Salem  and  Lost 
Creek  churches,  jointly. 

About  this  time.  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  who  was  still  the 
acknowledged  pastor  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  declined  to 
officiate  at  the  communion  service,  which  he  held  had  been 
"fulfilled  and  had  passed  away,"  and  for  that  reason  was  no 

(6) 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


97 


longer  binding.  As  a  result,  the  communion  service  was 
omitted  for  a  few  times ;  but  it  was  soon  resumed,  since  the 
new  doctrine,  as  held  by  the  pastor,  did  not  find  favour  with 
the  church.  After  a  year  or  two,  however,  the  pastor, 
weighed  down  by  the  infirmities  of  advancing  years,  and  still 
adhering  to  his  newly-found  views  concerning  the  communion 
service,  was  relieved  of  his  active  duties.  He  received,  never- 
theless, a  vote  of  respect,  confidence,  and  esteem  from  the 
church,  which  he  had  served  so  long  and  so  faithfully. 

Thus  harmlessly  died  away  the  last  ripple  of  doctrinal 
excitement  that  disturbed  the  serenity  of  the  church. 

In  1858,  a  new  house  of  worship  had  been  completed,  and 
a  commendable  spirit  of  activity  in  church  work  prevailed 
among  the  members  of  the  church. 

The  first  years  of  the  second  half  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury had  witnessed  a  wave  of  educational  enthusiasm,  which 
culminated  in  the  West  Union  Academy,  sweep  over  the 
church.  When  it  subsided  a  few  years  afterward,  and  the 
West  Union  Academy  was  abandoned,  several  of  the  young 
people  who  had  been  students  of  the  defunct  academy,  mem- 
bers of  the  New  Salem  Church,  went  away  to  Alfred 
Academy,  now  Alfred  University,  at  Alfred,  New  York. 

The  Civil  War  soon  followed,  bringing  in  its  wake  ruin 
and  subsequent  depression,  as  the  church  was  on  the  border 
over-lapped  by  the  activities  of  both  armies. 

In  1866,  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  made  his  first  visit  to 
West  Virginia  as  a  missionary.  His  coming  was  a  God-send 
to  all  the  churches  there,  but  especially  so  to  the  New  Salem 
Church.  In  1870,  he  again  visited  this  field,  and  assisted  in 
the  organisation  of  the  Ritchie  and  Greenbrier  churches,  both 
of  which  drew  from  the  membership  of  the  New  Salem 
Church.  The  Greenbrier  Church  was  constituted  almost 
wholly  of  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church, 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  came  upon  the  West  Virginia 
field  as  a  general  missionary  in  October,  1870,  soon  after  the 
close  of  the  labours  of  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette.  He  estab- 
lished his  residence  and  headquarters  at  New  Salem,  and  when 
a  few  years  afterwards  he  engaged  in  educational  work,  the 
house  of  worship  of  the  New  Salem  Church  served  as  the 
building-  in  which  he  conducted  his  select  school  at  New  Salem. 


98         SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Ever  since  1854,  when  he  was  called  to  serve  the  church 
as  its  assistant  pastor,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  had  ministered 
to  the  church  from  time  to  time.  Jacob  Davis,  Lewis  F.  Ran- 
dolph, and  Judson  F.  Randolph  had  been  licenced  to  preach, 
and  had  participated  in  the  pastoral  work  of  the  church.  Jacob 
Davis  and  Lewis  F.  Randolph  were  both  ordained  and  set 
apart  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry,  each  after  a  satis- 
factory term  of  probation  as  a  licentiate. 

The  church  was  sadly  in  need  of  a  pastor  who  could  give 
his  entire  time  and  strength  to  the  work,  but  financial  weak- 
ness was  a  strong  barrier  to  such  a  plan.  In  April,  1876, 
however.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  entered  upon  a  term  of 
service  as  pastor  of  the  church,  giving  his  entire  time  to  the 
duties  of  his  office,  at  a  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  a  year. 
This  was  the  first  time  the  church  had  ever  employed  a  pastor, 
upon  a  stated  salary,  to  give  his  entire  time  to  church  work. 
He  served  the  church  most  satisfactorily  in  this  manner,  for 
a  period  of  three  years ;  but  the  church  ran  steadily  behind 
in  its  finances.  After  the  close  of  Rev.  Samuel  D!  Davis's 
pastorate.  Rev.  Uri  M.  Babcock  was  engaged  as  pastor,  four 
members  making  themselves  personally  responsible  for  his 
salary  for  one  year.  During  the  second  year  of  his  term  of 
service,  the  finances  of  the  church  became  so  badly  involved, 
that  he  resigned  to  accept  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  another 
church. 

For  a  period  of  several  years,  now,  the  church  struggled 
against  a  strong  tide  of  discouragement.  It  w^as  embarrassed 
because  of  strained  relations  with  a  sister  church,  occasioned 
by  a  series  of  unfortunate  misunderstandings,  which  became 
the  subject  of  consideration  at  the  hands  of  the  General  Con- 
ference. Members  living  at  a  distance  from  New  Salem 
removed  their  membership  to  churches  nearer  home.  Among 
these  was  the  faithful  clerk  of  the  church,  Franklin  F.  Ran- 
dolph, who  had  kept  the  records  for  a  period  of  twenty-eight 
years,  and  who  in  storm  and  sunshine  alike,  the  mountainous 
roads  often  all  but  impassable,  had  ridden  on  horseback  or, 
as  was  often  necessary,  had  traveled  on  foot  from  his  home 
ten  miles  away  at  New  Milton,  to  attend  the  business  meetings 
of  the  church. 

But  the  dawn  of  a  brighter  day  was  at  hand.     Again  the 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


99 


interest  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  West  Virginia  in  edu- 
cation was  becoming  aroused,  and  the  long-cherished  plan  of 
establishing  a  denominational  school  at  Salem  began  to  take 
definite  shape;  with  the  result  that  in  the  spring  of  1889,  Salem 
Academy,  soon  afterward  changed  to  Salem  College,  was 
opened  under  the  temporary  leadership  of  Rev.  John  L.  Huff- 
man, who  was  at  that  time  serving  the  New  Salem  Church  as 
its  pastor.  A  president  was  soon  obtained  for  the  college,  in 
the  person  of  Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson,  the  principal  of  Albion 
Academy,  at  Albion,  Wisconsin. 

In  1890,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  which  soon  afterward  entered  upon  a  period  of 
unprecedented  prosperity. 

During  the  year  1 891-1892,  the  church  became  a  corporate 
body,  for  the  first  time  in  its  history,  its  legal  business  having 
been  done  previously  by  a  board  of  trustees  appointed  by  the 
courts. 

The  first  of  August,  1902,  finds  the  church  with  a  new 
brick  house  of  worship  of  modern  design,  and  a  well  appointed 
parsonage  with  commodious  grounds ;  the  church  itself  pros- 
pering spiritually  and  financially  under  the  efficient  leadership 
of  its  zealous  pastor.  Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter. 

COMMUNION   SERVICE  ;  AND  QUARTERLY  AND  YEARLY   MEETINGS. 

On  July  12,  1746,  the  church  voted  that  on  the  third 
Sabbath  in  September  following,  there  should  be  a  communion 
service,  and  that  after  that,  communion  service  should  occur 
once  in  two  months,  beginning  with  the  last  Sabbath  in 
October,  "that  being  the  day  of  communion  in  Westerly," 
Rhode  Island,  whence  the  church  had  come. 

At  the  same  time,  it  was  voted  that  church  meeting  be 
held  at  the  place  of  communion  service,  on  the  Third  Day  of 
the  week  before  communion.  Not  having  a  meeting  house, 
the  church  met  for  worship  at  the  homes  of  its  members,  in 
turn,  where  communion  service  and  church  meeting  were  held 
likewise. 

The  church  meeting  was  afterward  changed  from  the 
Third  Day  to  the  Fifth  Day,  of  the  week,  for  the  convenience 
of  the  members  living  at  Middletown. 

March  3,  1775,  the  church  voted  that  church  meeting 
should  be  held  the  last  First  Day  of  the  week  in  every  month, 


lOO     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

and  that  communion  service  should  occur  the  last  Sabbath  in 
November,  February,  May,  and  August  respectively. 

One  year  afterward,  March  3,  1776,  the  Quarterly  Meet- 
ing was  changed  to  the  third  Sabbath  in  February,  May,  and 
August.  The  November  meeting,  which  was  also  the  Yearly 
Meeting  of  the  church,  was  changed  to  the  first  Sabbath  of  the 
month,  in  order  to  escape,  if  possible,  the  bad  weather  that 
marked  the  end  of  autumn  and  the  beginning  of  winter,  and 
thereby  secure  as  large  an  attendance  as  possible  from 
Middletown. 

On  December  28,  181 5,  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  more 
after  the  church  had  left  Shrewsbury  to  settle  in  Virginia,  a 
discussion  arose  as  to  whether  the  Quarterly  Meetings  should 
be  continued  or  not.  It  was  finally  decided  that  they  should 
be  continued,  and  that  they  should  be  held  at  William  Davis's 
on  Middle  Island. 

On  May  14,  1819,  the  church  voted  that  the  Quarterly 
Meetings  should  alternate  between  William  Davis's  on  Middle 
Island,  and  George  Davis's  near  New  Salem,  and  that  church 
meetings  should  be  held  on  the  First  Day  of  the  week 
preceding  communion  service. 

On  August  16,  1822,  it  was  voted  that  the  Yearly  Meeting 
should  be  held  on  the  third  Sabbath  in  September  following, 
at  New  Salem. 

During  the  next  thirty-seven  years  the  records  are  silent 
concerning  the  Quarterly  Meeting.  But  during  that  time,  it 
gradually  came  about  that  the  Quarterly  Meetings  were  all, 
or  practically  all,  held  at  New  Salem ;  and  the  church  meetings 
were  held  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  preceding  communion, 
thus  merging  the  church  meeting  into  the  Quarterly  Meeting. 

On  August  19,  1859,  the  New  Salem  Church  received  a 
communication  from  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  suggesting  that 
the  two  churches  unite  in  a  joint  Yearly  Meeting,  and  stating 
that  the  date  for  holding  the  Yearly  Meeting  at  Lost  Creek 
had  been  changed  from  the  second  Sabbath  in  August  to  the 
second  Sabbath  in  September,  as  the  latter  date  was  that  of 
the  regular  communion  service. 

The  New  Salem  Church  acquiesced  in  the  proposed  union, 
but  named  the  third  Sabbath  in  August  as  the  date  for  the 


0 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  lOl 

Yearly  Meeting-,  when  it  should  be  held  at  New  Salem,  as  that 
date  coincided  with  that  of  the  August  Quarterly  Meeting. 

On  May  19,  1865,  the  New  Salem  Church  took  the 
following  action: — 

"Whereas,  We  believe  it  would  add  to  the  interest  of  our  church 
meetings,  and  promote  the  cause  of  the  Redeemer  by  having  preaching 
before  entering  into  business ;  therefore 

"RESOLVED,  That  our  business  meetings  on  each  quarterly 
occasion,  be  opened  by  a  short  sermon." 

This  practise  was  carried  out  for  a  time,  but  it  gradually 
fell  into  disuse.  Aside  from  this,  and  the  fact  that  the  church 
meetings  were  finally  changed  from  the  Sixth  Day,  to  the  First 
Day,  of  the  week  preceding  communion  service,  the  Quarterly 
Meeting  has  been  practically  unchanged  for  a  full  half  century. 

FAST  DAYS. 

After  the  removal  of  the  church  to  New  Salem,  the 
following  records  appear  concerning  fast  days : — 

November  18,  1819.  The  church  appointed  the  following  Third 
Day  of  the  week  as  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer,  the  meeting  to  be 
held  at  the  home  of  Jonathan  F.  Randolph. 

July  17,  1829.  The  third  Sabbath  in  August  following,  was  set 
apart  as  a  fast  day. 

MEMBERSHIP   IN    SUPERIOUR   BODIES. 

Association  in  Nczv  Jersey.^ 
At  a  meeting  of  the  New  Salem  Church  held  July  13, 
1794,  the  following  action  was  taken: — 

''The  first  thing  came  under  consideration  was  whether  we  should 
send  meeting-goers  to  the  Association  to  New  Jersey,  or  whether  we 
should  only  send  letters.  Agreed  to  send  letters  annually,  and 
meeting-goers,  when  there  is  opportunity." 

The  foregoing  action,  it  will  be  observed,  is  dated  eight 
years  before  the  organisation  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
General  Conference. 

General  Conference. 

The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  its 
annual  session    held    with    the    church    at    Cohansey     (now 


I.  This  "Association  in  New  Jersey"  was  doubtless  the  Yearly  Meeting, 
which  in  1788  had  been  in  existence  for  several  years.  Bailey  conjectures  that 
it  dates  back  to  1734.  It  is  represented  at  the  present  time  by  the  Yearly  Meeting 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Churches  of  New  Jersey  and  New  York  City.  Cf. 
Bailey's  History  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  pp.  24  et.  seq. 
Toledo,    Ohio,    1866. 


I02     SEVENTH  DAY   BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

Shiloh),  New  Jersey,  beginning  September  lo,  1807,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  annual  circular  letter  addressed  "to  our  zvell 
beloved  brethren  and  sisters  of  the  same  faith  and  order  of 
the  Gospel,  zvho  are  scattered  up  and  dozvn  in  the  United 
States  of  America,"  took  the  following  action: — 

"VOTED,  That  the  letter  for  opening  the  correspondence  with  our 
brethren  in  the  Western  parts  of  America,  be  left  to  the  care  and 
inspection  of  the  church  at  Cohansey." 

As  the  result  of  the  invitation  contained  in  the  letter 
provided  for  in  the  foregoing  action,  Rev.  John  Davis,  the 
pastor  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches,  appeared 
at  the  next  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference,  held  with 
the  church  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island,  beginning  September 
8,  1808,  as  the  representative  of  these  churches,  bearing  a 
petition  from  them  both  for  membership  in  the  General 
Conference.  Their  request  was  granted,  and  the  New  Salem, 
as  well  as  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  has  maintained  its 
membership  in  that  body  continuously  ever  since. 

In  its  application  for  membership  in  the  General  Confer- 
ence, the  New  Salem  Church  reported  a  total  membership  of 
thirty-eight.  This,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  after  the 
organisation  of  the  West  Fork  River  and  the  Lost  Creek 
churches,  both  of  which  drew  largely  from  the  parent  church. 
Western  Association. 

At  its  regular  quarterly  business  meeting  held  May  19, 
1837,  the  New  Salem  Church  voted  to  request  admission  to 
membership  in  the  recently  organised  Western  Association. 
The  communication  addressed  by  the  church  to  the  associa- 
tion at  its  annual  session  held  with  the  church  at  Alfred,  New 
York,  beginning  June  28,  1837,  was  received  too  late  to  be 
considered  at  that  session.  But  at  the  next  annual  session,  the 
application  was  presented,  and  the  church  admitted  to  mem- 
bership. The  application  for  membership  showed  an 
aggregate  number  of  seventy-seven  members  of  the  church 
at  that  time.  That  was  a  few  years  after  the  organisation  of 
the  Middle  Island  Church,  which  was  composed  almost,  if  not 
quite,  wholly  of  former  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church. 
Sonth-Western  Association. 

The  newly  organised  South-Western  Association,  com- 
posed of  the  churches  of  Virginia  and  Ohio,  besides  that  of 


i.\ii-:ri(!K  ()1-  old  loc;  c  iil"Kcu  at  .\ii\v  salem. 
lAtteT  a   pencil    sketch   1)y   Corliss   F.   Randnlph ). 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


103 


Woodbridgetown,  Penns3'lvania,  met  for  its  first  annual  session 
(at  which  its  organisation  was  concluded),  with  the  Lost 
Creek  Church,  August  7,  1839.  The  New  Salem  Church, 
although  in  the  throes  of  internal  dissension,  took  a  prominent 
part  in  the  formation  of  the  new  association. 
Virginia  Association. 

When,  in  1850,  the  South- Western  Association  voted  to 
separate  into  two  bodies,  the  Virginia  and  the  Ohio  associa- 
tions, with  the  Ohio  River  as  the  boundary  separating  the  two 
organisations,  the  New  Salem  Church  at  once  swung  into  line, 
and  remained  an  active,  loyal  member  of  the  Virginia  Associa- 
tion, until  the  latter  collapsed,  and  by  the  mutual  consent  of 
the  churches  composing  it,  dissolved,  in  1855. 
Eastern  Association. 

Immediately  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Virginia  Associa- 
tion, the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches,  which,  despite 
occasional  differences  and  friction  between  themselves,  have 
always  been  drawn  together  by  a  strong,  common  bond  of 
sympathy  and  mutual  protection,  at  once  made  application  for 
membership  in  the  Eastern  Association  at  the  annual  session 
of  that  body,  held  with  the  church  at  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  in 
May,  1856,  and  sent  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  as  a  joint  delegate, 
to  bear  the  petitions  of  both  churches.  These  petitions  at 
once  precipitated  a  spirited  debate  upon  the  reputed  attitude  of 
these  churches  toward  the  question  of  slavery,  a  subject  which 
is  treated  in  a  subsequent  chapter  of  this  book.  The  petitions 
of  both  churches,  however,  were  finally  granted. 

Two  years  afterward,  the  New  Salem  Church  appointed 
a  committee  to  consider  the  propriety  of  withdrawing  from 
membership  in  the  Eastern  Association,  so  unpleasant  had  the 
slavery  discussion  become.  Through  the  intervention,  how- 
ever, of  Rev.  David  Clawson,  who  had  recently  come  among 
the  Virginia  churches  from  New  Jersey,  no  further  action  was 
taken.  The  church,  nevertheless,  maintained  a  position  of 
dignified  silence  until  1867,  after  the  hateful  question  of 
human  slavery  in  the  United  States  of  America  had  passed 
into  history,  at  the  awful  price  of  the  Civil  War. 

Active  communication  was  now  resumed  with  the 
Eastern  Association  by  the  New  Salem  Church  until  after  the 
orgfanisation  of  the 


104 


SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Soiith-Eastern  Association. 
In  the  organisation  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  in 
January,  1872,  at  Lost  Creek,  the  New  Salem  Church  took  the 
initial  steps ;  and  it  has  maintained  an  influential  position  in 
the  affairs  of  the  association  ever  since. 

MEETING   HOUSES   OF   THE    NEW    SALEM    CHURCH. 

After  the  arrival  of  the  church  at  its  new  home  at  New 
Salem  in  western  Virginia,  it  reverted  to  the  plan  originally 
followed  in  New  Jersey  of  holding  its  meetings  for  worship 
and  business  in  the  homes  of  its  members. 

On  the  I2th  of  April,  1795,  the  church  considered  the 
propriety  of  erecting  a  house  of  worship.  On  the  loth  of 
May,  following,  it  was  determined  to  build  a  meeting  house  in 
the  following  autumn.  Two  months  afterward,  in  June,  it  was 
determined  to  build  a  house,  twenty-four  feet  long  by  twenty 
feet  wide,  and  that  a  foundation  should  be  laid  for  galleries. 
The  meeting  house  was  to  be  covered  with  a  cabin  roof,  and 
the  deacons  were  instructed  to  keep  a  strict  account  of  every 
man's  work,  so  that  each  one  should  do  an  equal  part. 

Straightway,  there  arose  a  question  as  to  the  authority  of 
the  church  to  allow  churches  of  other  denominations  to  wor- 
ship in  the  new  meeting  house,  but  on  the  nth  of  July,  1793, 
after  a  spirited  discussion,  it  was  voted  that  the  church  had 
authority  to  prohibit  other  societies  from  using  the  meeting 
house. 

Whether  this  house  was  never  completed,  or  whether  it 
was  destroyed  by  fire  soon  after  its  completion,  does  not 
appear  from  the  records.  At  all  events,  we  find  that  on 
January  10,  1796,  the  deacons  of  the  church  were  instructed 
to  try  to  obtain  permission  to  use  the  house  of  Thomas 
Babcock  for  worship,  and  in  the  event  of  failure  to  secure  that, 
the  house  of  John  Davis  was  to  be  used  for  that  purpose. 

On  August  9th,  1801,  the  church  voted  to  try  to  buy  the 
house  in  which  meetings  were  held,  and  voted  to  pay  fifty 
dollars  ($50)  for  the  house  and  lot. 

A  week  afterward,  August  i6th,  the  church  voted  to 
build  a  meeting  house  on  the  burying  ground,  twenty-eight  feet 
long  by  twenty-two  feet  in  width,  with  galleries.  Nathan 
Davis  and  Thomas  Clayton  were  appointed  trustees  to  have 


m 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  105 

charge  of  the  work,  and  for  their  services  they  were  to  receive 
four  shilHngs  and  sixpence  a  day  and  "find  themselves." 

Nathan  Davis  moved  away  to  his  farm  at  Lewisport  (now 
West  Union,  in  Doddridge  County)  ;  and  on  November  8, 
1801,  WilHam  Davis,  the  clerk  of  the  church,  was  appointed 
to  assist  Thomas  Babcock  in  superintending  the  erection  of 
the  building.  On  August  12,  1804,  the  church  appointed  a 
day  on  which  to  meet  and  settle  with  the  trustees  for  their 
services. 

On  the  19th  of  May,  1820,  Nathan  Davis  and  Jesse  Davis 
were  appointed  to  wait  upon  the  venerable  founder  of  the 
village  of  New  Salem,  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  and  get  the 
deeds  for  the  meeting  house  and  grave  yard  lots.  The  deeds 
were  executed  by  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  for  "in  lot"  number 
26,  under  date  of  September  5,  1803,  and  by  Nathan  Davis  for 
"in  lot"  number  27,^  under  date  of  March  14,  181 1,  these  lots 
embracing  the  church  yard  and  grave  yard. 

This  meeting  house  was  built  of  hewed  logs.  In  the 
middle  was  a  chimney  with  a  double  fireplace  to  supply  heat. 
The  crevices  between  the  logs  were  filled  with  sticks  and  clay 
mortar.  After  it  had  been  completely  renovated,  and  at  least 
three  new  windows  and  one  new  door  added,  it  was  described 
by  Rev.  Thomas  E.  Babcock,  who  visited  it  in  1853,  as 
follows : — 

"The  Meeting  House  is  an  ancient  looking  structure  of  hewed  logs. 
There  is  a  gallery  in  it,  which,  however,  seems  to  have  fallen  into  dis- 
use. The  gloomy  aspect  of  the  house  is,  perhaps,  too  true  an  index 
to  the  condition  of  the  church.  It  is  a  sad  picture,  to  see  a  church  that 
has  stood  the  vicissitudes  of  more  than  a  century,  feebly  struggling  for 
existence." 

On  the  14th  of  June.  1839,  Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  Peter 
Davis,  and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  who  had  been  appointed  a 
committee  to  examine  the  meeting  house,  reported  to  the 
church  "that  there  had  better  be  two  new  logs  put  in  the  west 
end,  and  all  the  old  chunking  knocked  out  clean,  and  then  fill 
up  all  the  cracks  with  stone,  lime,  and  sand ;  weatherboard 
[clapboard]  the  west  end ;  cut  a  window  in  the  south  side  on 
the  left  of  the  door,  as  well  as  one  in  the  east  end,  and  one  in 
the  west  end;  ceil  it  all  below  the  joists;  make  a  stairway; 


I.     "In  lot"  number  27,  had  been  conveyed  to  Nathan  Davis,   Sr.,  by   Samuel 
Fitz   Randolph,  by  a  deed  bearing  date,   February    13,    1796.. 


io6     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

throw  out  the  chimney  and  put  in  a  stove ;  lay  the  upper  floor 
down  snug;  make  seats;  repair  the  gable  ends,  etc." 

The  church  as  thus  repaired  served  until  1857,  when  at  a 
meeting  held  on  the  15th  day  of  May,  it  was  voted  to  erect  a 
frame  building,  forty-six  feet  long  by  twenty-eight  feet  wide, 
and  twelve  feet  from  tlie  floor  to  the  ceiling,  with  a  vestibule 
ten  feet  deep.  This  building  was  completed  and  dedicated  on 
the  19th  of  August,  1858,  the  dedicatory  sermon  being 
preached  by  Rev.  David  Clawson.  The  total  net  cost  of  the 
new  building  was  eight  hundred  dollars   ($800.00). 

The  frame  building  served  as  a  house  of  worship  until 
1899,  when  on  the  13th  of  August  of  that  year,  the  church 
gave  instructions  to  its  building  committee  to  remove  the  old 
meeting  house  and  proceed  to  erect  upon  the  same  site,  where 
the  old  log  house  had  also  stood,  a  new  edifice,  to  be  con- 
structed of  brick.  On  the  30th  of  December,  1900,  the  old 
building  was  sold  to  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  one  of  the  members 
of  the  church,  for  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  ($50.00),  with  the 
understanding  that  it  was  to  be  torn  down  and  taken  away. 
The  new  church  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  seven  thousand 
dollars  ($7,000.00),  and  dedicated  at  the  time  of  the  annual 
session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  which  met  with  the 
church  at  Salem,  in  May,  1901.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Reverend  Abram  Herbert  Lewis,  D.D.,  of 
Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of  the 
American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  and  Editor  of  the  Sabbath 
Recorder. 

As  the  people  began  to  go  out  from  New  Salem,  soon 
after  its  settlement,  to  settle  at  various  points  in  the  surround- 
ing country,  they  formed  various  other  little  settlements,  rang- 
ing in  distance  from  three  or  four  miles,  to  ten  or  twelve  miles, 
from  New  Salem,  and  the  meeting  house.  These  little  groups 
found  it  practically  impossible  to  attend  church  at  New  Salem 
with  any  regularity,  and  consequently  began  to  hold  Sabbath 
services  in  their  own  settlements,  using  the  homes  of  various 
ones  of  their  number  as  meeting  places. 

In  the  early  days,  such  services  were  held  at  Lewisport 
(now  West  Union),  and  on  Greenbrier  Run,  Plalls  Run,  and 
Lamberts  Run.  In  the  course  of  time,  stated  meetings  of  the 
church  were  held  at  these  places. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  107 

As  these  settlements  grew,  they  began  to  feel  the  need  of 
houses  of  worship  in  their  midst,  and  the  need  was  met  in 
some  places  by  the  erection  of  meeting  houses  which  w^ere  the 
property  of  the  church. 

The  first  of  these  meeting  houses  to  be  built  was  at 
Lewisport,  where  three  brothers,  Nathan,  Joseph,  and  William 
Davis  had  purchased  twenty  thousand  (20,000)  acres  of  land 
and  settled  for  their  homes.  Here  upon  a  little  bluff,  only  a 
stone's  throw  from  the  very  verge  of  the  banks  of  the  Middle 
Island  Creek,  a  rude  log  meeting  house  was  erected,  and  a 
grave  yard  established  upon  the  lands  of  Joseph  Davis.  This 
was  probably  built  some  time  during  the  first  decade  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  and  was  doubtless  a  crude  affair  of  round, 
unhewed  logs,  with  a  cabin  roof.  After  a  few  years,  this 
gave  way  to  another  log  structure,  which  too  had  fallen  into 
decay,  not  many  years  after  the  first  quarter  of  the  century  had 
passed. 

After  the  organisation  of  the  ]yliddle  Island  Church  at 
Lewisport  was  finally  consummated  in  1832,  the  New  Salem 
Church  relinquished  all  claim  to  the  property  in  favour  of  the 
Middle  Island  Church.  The  latter  church  obtained  legal  title 
to  the  meeting  house  lot  and  grave  yard  from  Joseph  Davis, 
the  former  owner  of  the  land,  under  date  of  March  31,  1858. 
The  Middle  Island  Church  still  retains  possession  of  this 
property,  all  of  which  is  now  used  as  a  grave  yard,  where  are 
buried  several  members  of  early  Seventh  Day  Baptist  families 
who  lived  in  that  locality. 

Another  meeting  house  was  built  on  Greenbrier  Run,  on 
the  hillside  across  the  valley,  about  opposite  the  house  in  which 
John  Williams  lived  for  some  thirty  years. 

This  meeting  house  was  a  very  small  building  of  hewed 
logs,  with  a  cabin  roof;  and  a  chimney,  with  an  open  fireplace 
in  the  north-east  corner  of  the  single  room  of  the  interior.  The 
building  faced  the  west,  and  stood  on  the  land  of  John  Sutton, 
who  made  a  deed  for  it,  in  1841,  to  Jonathan  F.  Randolph  and 
Peter  Davis,  as  trustees  of  the  New  Salem  Church.  The  lot 
was  seventeen  and  a  half  rods  long  by  eleven  rods  wide,  and 
was  surveyed  on  the  31st  of  January,  1841,  by  William  F. 
Randolph. 

This  lot  was  sold  and  a  new  one  purchased  of  Rev.  Peter 


jo8     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

Davis,  a  mile  or  two  further  up  Greenbrier  Run.  The  new 
lot  was  in  turn  exchanged  for  one  a  few  rods  further  up  on 
the  hillside,  and  the  log  house  first  built  on  the  lot  obtained 
from  John  Sutton  was  moved  to  the  new  location.  The 
building  was  enlarged  by  a  "Yankee-frame"  (plank)  addition, 
and  then  stood  until  about  1880,  when  the  present  house  of 
worship  of  the  Greenbrier  Church  was  erected.  The  old  meet- 
ing house  was  then  torn  down,  and  the  logs  used  for  building 
a  barn  on  the  farm  of  Jesse  Clark,  one  of  the  deacons  of  the 
Greenbrier  Church. 

At  a  business  meeting  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  held  on 
November  18,  1870,  it  was  voted  that  the  house  and  lot  on 
Greenbrier  Run  belonging  to  the  New  Salem  Church,  be  con- 
veyed by  deed  to  certain  trustees  for  the  use  of  the  Greenbrier 
Church,  which  had  been  organised  on  the  24th  of  the  preceding 
September,  inasmuch  as  forty-three  of  the  forty-six  members 
of  the  new  church  had  been  members  of  the  New  Salem 
Church. 

Owing  to  delay  occasioned  by  legal  technicalities  and 
other  causes,  it  was  not  until  the  first  of  March,  1880,  that  the 
New  Salem  Church  formally  relinquished  all  right  and  title 
to  the  property  in  favour  of  the  Greenbrier  Church. 

The  foregoing  are  all  the  houses  of  worship  ever  owned  by 
the  New  Salem  Church,  after  its  removal  to  western  Virginia. 

Although  as  early  as  November  11,  1804,  the  church 
voted  to  hold  meetings  on  Halls  Run,  no  meeting  house  was 
ever  built  in  that  locality  by  the  New  Salem  Church. 

The  church  maintained  services  at  different  other  places, 
some,  at  least,  of  which  were  as  follows : —  For  many  years 
on  the  ]\Ieat  House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek,  at  the 
present  location  of  the  Middle  Island  Church ;  and  for  several 
years,  each,  on  Buckeye  Run,  Long  Run,  and  Flint  Run ;  but 
at  none  of  these  places  did  the  New  Salem  Church  build  a 
meeting  house.  When  the  present  house  of  worship  of  the 
IVIiddle  Island  Church  was  built,  half  of  the  church  lot  was 
donated  by  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  one  of  the  deacons  of  the 
New  Salem  Church,  and  he  and  his  family,  as  well  as  other 
members  of  the  New  Salem  Church  living  in  that  vicinity,  con- 
tributed liberally  toward  the  cost  of  the  building. 

At  all  these  outlying  stations    where    the    New    Salem 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  1 09 

Church  maintained  services,  with  the  exception  of  Lewisport  and 
Greenbrier  Run,  dwelHng  house  and  school  houses  were,  for 
the  most  part,  used  for  places  of  meeting  for  religious  service. 

The  logs  of  the  old  meeting  house  torn  down  at  New 
Salem  in  1857  to  make  room  for  the  new  frame  building,  were 
sold  to  Elmore  B.  Hursey,  Esq.,  for  the  sum  of  twenty-five  dol- 
lars ($25.00),  and  removed  to  a  point  on  the  other  side  of  the 
valley  about  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  site  where  the  meeting 
house  stood,  and  left  to  lie  on  the  ground  until  they  decayed 
and  disappeared. 

The  logs  of  the  meeting  house  at  Lewisport,  decayed  and 
disappeared  from  view  half  a  century  ago. 

The  old  frame  meeting  house  at  New  Salem,  as  already 
related,  was  sold  to  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  Esq.,  one  of  the  active 
members  of  the  church,  for  the  sum  of  fifty  dollars  ($50.00), 
with  the  express  understanding  that  he  should  demolish  it. 

The  old  school  house  in  which  meetings  were  held  on 
Meat  House  Fork,  and  which  stood  by  the  roadside  almost 
directly  in  front  of  the  present  house  of  worship  of  the  Middle 
Island  Church,  on  completion  of  the  new  building,  was  sold 
at  public  auction  to  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  for  the  sum  of  four 
dollars  ($4.00),  and  removed  by  him  to  his  home  half  a  mile 
away  and  converted  into  a  farm  building.  This  old  school 
house,  together  with  the  old  log  meeting  house  on  Greenbrier 
Run,  which  was  removed  to  the  farm  of  Jesse  Clark,  are  the 
only  survivors  of  the  old  buildings  used  by  the  New  Salem 
Church  as  houses  of  worship,  with  the  exception  of  the  Old 
Township  Hall  at  New  Milton,  a  mile  and  a  half  distant  from 
the  present  house  of  worship  of  the  Middle  Island  Church. 
This  still  stands  near  its  original  site,  but  has  been  converted 
into  a  farm  building. 

PARSONAGE. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  action  on  the  part  of  the  church 
to  provide  its  pastor  with  a  home  at  any  time  during  its 
sojourn  of  nearly  half  a  century  in  New  Jersey. 

The  first  action  taken  by  the  church  toward  providing  a 
home  for  any  one  performing  ministerial  labour  among  them 
was  on  the  14th  of  May,  1824,  when  the  church  voted  to  raise 
money  by  subscription  to  build  a  home  for  Rev.  John  Greene  at 
Quiet  Dell,  on  Elk  Creek.     Quiet  Dell  was  the  home  of  Abel 


no     SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

Bond,  one  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church.  His  was  the  first  Seventh  Day  Baptist  home  within 
the  bounds  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches  reached 
by  the  missionaries  sent  to  western  Virginia  from  the  churches 
in  the  north  and  east ;  at  the  same  time  it  constituted  a  central 
point  from  which  they  could  work  to  advantage  within  the 
bounds  of  both  churches. 

Apparently,  however,  the  house  was  not  completed  in 
time  to  be  used  until  the  second  visit  of  Alexander  Campbell, 
in  the  summer  of  1834.  Even  then  it  appears  to  have  been 
built  almost,  if  not  quite,  wholly,  by  Abel  Bond,  himself. 
Campbell  says, 

"That  good  man,  Deacon  Abel  Bond,  had  built  a  nice  little  house 
in  his  spacious  yard,  during  my  absence,  for  the  accommodation  of 
whoever  might  be  their  future  missionary.  He  said  to  me  (my  wife 
and  son  of  five  years  being  with  me)  : — 'The  new  house  [which]  I 
have  built  is  your  own  home  while  you  choose  to  occupy  it ;  but  you 
will  take  j'our  meals  with  my  family.'  The  house  was  furnished  with 
a  good  bed,  chairs,  and  a  writing  table,  with  plenty  of  stationery." 

Whether  the  New  Salem  Church  really  contributed  to  the 
cost  of  this  little  home  for  missionaries  at  Quiet  Dell,  or  not, 
it  is  nevertheless  true  that  the  vote  taken  on  the  14th  of  May, 
1824,  is  all  the  action  of  that  church  recorded  looking  toward 
a  home  for  any  one  performing  ministerial  labour  within  its 
bounds  for  almost,  if  not  quite,  a  round  century  after  its 
arrival  at  New  Salem.^ 

On  the  2d  of  November,  1890,  a  call  was  extended  to 
Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  church 
at  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  to  become  the  pastor  of  the  New  Salem 
Church  at  a  stated  salary,  besides  a  suitable  home.  Two  or 
three  weeks  afterward,  it  was  announced  that  the  call  had  been 
accepted,  and  action  was  taken  looking  toward  the  erection 
of  a  parsonage.  A  year  later  the  parsonage  was  practically 
completed.  The  total  cost  of  the  pastor's  home,  including 
land,  house,  and  barn,  was  sixteen  hundred  dollars  ($1,600.00). 

MINISTERS. 

The    followinsf  is   an   abstract   from   the   records   of  the 


I.  When  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  closed  his  labours  in  West  Virginia,  and 
arranged  to  remove  from  the  state,  he  offered  his  residence  at  New  Salem,  near 
the  meeting  house,  to  the  Nw  Salem  Church  for  use  as  a  parsonage.  Although 
the  offer  met  with  favour,  it  was  finally  decided  not  to  accept  it. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  III 

church  concerning  its  ministers,  inckiding  pastors  and  other 
ordained  ministers  of  the  church,  as  well  as  members  licenced 
to  preach : — 

May  ir,  1794.  Rev.  Isaac  Morris  was  dismissed  to  join  the  West 
Fork  River  Church. 

December  14,  1794.  A  request  was  presented  from  the  West  Fork 
River  Church  for  assistance  to  excommunicate  Rev.  Isaac  Morris. 
"Agreed  to  send  them  a  letter  directing  them  to  take  the  Gospel  rule, 
according  to  their  articles  [of  faith]." 

March  8,  1795.  Rev.  John  Patterson  was  given  pastoral  care  of 
the  church. 

January  10,  1796.  Joseph  Davis  applied  for,  and  received,  a  call 
"to  improve  his  gift  in  the  work  of  the  Gospel." 

May  13,  1798.  Joseph  Davis  was  silenced  until  further  action  of 
the  church. 

November  14,  1798.  Zebulon  Maxson  was  given  a  call  to  preach, 
and  Joseph  Davis  "was  given  liberty  to  exhort." 

June  8,  1800.  The  church  deferred  the  ordination  of  Zebulon 
Maxson  till  the  first  Sabbath  in  July,  on  account  of  "disappointment 
of  help." 

x^ugust  10,  1800.  Mosher  Maxson  was  invited  "to  improve  his 
gift  in  preaching,  in  this  church." 

November  10,  1800.  Mosher  Maxson  was  authorised  "to  improve 
his  gift  in  preaching  amongst  all  the  churches  of  the  same  faith  and 
order." 

1801.     Sometime  between  January  11,  and  May  10,  of 

this  year.  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  and  Rev.  John  Patterson  ordained 
John  Davis  as  a  Gospel  minister. 

August  9,  1801.  Zebulon  Maxson  was  licenced  to  preach.  The 
church  clerk  was  instructed  to  write  the  certificate  of  licence,  and  affix 
the  names  of  all  the  members  present  at  the  meeting  to  it. 

May  5,  1802.  Mosher  Maxson  was  silenced,  because  he  held  that 
the  "conviction  of  the  soul  was  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

May  16,  1802.  Licence  was  restored  to  Mosher  Maxson,  who  had 
"made  satisfaction  to  the  church." 

May  9,  1803.  Fellowship  and  communion  were  withdrawn  from 
Rev.  John  Patterson,  because  "he  fellowshipped  with  First  Day 
Baptists."  It  was  voted  that  Joseph  Davis  be  permitted  "to  improve 
his  gift  in  exhortation  or  in  doctrine  within  the  church,  till  further 
orders." 

November  21,  1819.  Licence  was  granted  to  Peter  Davis  "to  go 
into  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel." 

February  18,  1821.  Licence  was  granted  to  Lewis  A.  Davis  "to 
go  forth  to  preach  the  Gospel." 

August  16,  1822.  The  ordination  of  Peter  Davis  was  deferred  until 
the  next  church  meeting. 


112     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

August  15,  1823.  It  was  voted  that  Peter  Davis  should  be  ordained 
the  third  Sabbath  in  October  following. 

November  14,  1823.  Peter  Davis,  not  having  been  ordained  in 
October,  in  accordance  with  action  of  the  church  on  August  15, 
for  lack  of  ministerial  help,  it  was  voted  that  Rev.  John  Davis 
perform  the  ordination  the  third  Sabbath  in  December,  alone,  "if  no 
ministerial  helpers  be  present." 

November  19,  1824.  "It  also  came  under  consideration  that  Elder 
John  Davis  wishes  a  letter  of  dismission.  Laid  over  till  next  church 
meeting." 

November  18,  1825.  Rev.  Peter  Davis  was  charged  with  preaching 
a  new  doctrine,  which  the  church  did  not  approve.  He  was  debarred 
from  communion,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  admonish  him  by  let- 
ter, and  cite  him  to  the  next  church  meeting. 

February  17,  1826.  The  committee  appointed  to  communicate  with 
Rev.  Peter  Davis  in  behalf  of  the  church,  reported  that  the  letter  had 
been  written.  But  as  he  was  not  present,  the  church  deferred  further 
action  until  the  next  church  meeting. 

May  18,  1827.  Because  the  church  was  informed  that  Rev.  Peter 
Davis  supposed  that  the  church  did  not  understand  certain  doctrinal 
views  which  he  held,  the  church  appointed  a  committee  of  seven  mem- 
bers, five  from  the  New  Salem.  Church  and  two  from  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  to  meet  with  the  church  at  New  Salem  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the 
week  before  the  third  Sabbath  in  August  following,  to  give  him  a 
hearing. 

August  16,  1827.  The  committee  appointed  to  consider  the  doc- 
trinal views  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  met.  He  appeared  before  them  and 
presented  an  exposition  of  his  belief  concerning  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  which  met  the  approval  of  the  committee,  who  recommended  that 
the  church  restore  him  to  his  former  full  standing  in  the  church. 
Apparently  the  church  adopted  the  recommendation  of  the  committee. 

November  19,  1830.  It  was  voted  that  William  Babcock  "continue 
to  improve  as  an  evangelist  in  this  society  until  further  orders,  and 
that  he  have  liberty  to  exercise  his  gifts  wherever  he  may  think  proper." 

May  20,  1831.     The  church  took  the  following  action: — 

"RESOLVED,  That  Brother  Ezekiel  Bee  improve  in  the  way  of 
preaching  within  the  bounds  of  this  church." 

May  20,  1831.  Rev.  John  Davis  entered  complaint  that  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  had  debarred  him  from  communion.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  visit  the  Lost  Creek  Church  and  inquire  into  the  cause  of 
such  action. 

August  19,  1831.  The  church  voted  that  Ezekiel  Bee  be  licenced 
"to  go  forth  to  preach  the  Gospel." 

November  18,  183 1.  The  church  voted  that  William  Babcock  and 
Ezekiel  Bee  be  licenced  to  preach.  Asa  Bee  was  "called  on  trial"  to 
the  ministry. 

February  12,  1832.  Asa  Bee  was  licenced  "to  go  forth  to  preach 
the  Gospel." 

(7) 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


113 


April  II,  1834.  Ezekiel  Bee,  Asa  Bee,  George  J.  Davis,  and  Peter 
Davis  "denied  the  government  of  the  church,  and  expressed  a  wish  for 
free  communion." 

July  21,  1833.     Leviris  Bond  was  granted  licence  to  preach. 

June  20,  1834.  Amaziah  Bee  was  accorded  the  privilege  of 
preaching. 

May  7,  1835.  Amaziah  Bee  was  deprived  of  the  privilege  of 
preaching. 

January  11,  1847.  "Peter  Davis  was  appointed  elder  [.y/c]."  (The 
record  doubtless  should  read  "pastor"  instead  of  "elder"). 

February  16,  1855.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  appointed  pastor 
for  one  year. 

September  19,  1858.     Rev.  David  Clawson  was  appointed  pastor. 

November  18,  1859.  Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  to  labour  in  the 
New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches. 

May  18,   i860.     Levi  Stalnaker  was  granted  licence  to  preach. 

November  16,  i860.  Rev.  Peter  Davis  was  excused  from  the  active 
duties  of  the  pastorate  of  the  church;  and  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was 
invited  to  be  present  and  officiate  at  Quarterly  Meetings. 

November  20,  1863.     Licence  was  granted  Jacob  Davis  to  preach. 

May  20,  1864.  Judson  F.  Randolph  and  Lewis  F.  Randolph  were 
licenced  to  preach. 

August  19,  1865.  Jacob  Davis  was  ordained  to  the  Gospel 
ministry.     Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  conducted  the  ordination  service. 

May  18,  1866.  The  church  accepted  the  resignation  of  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis  as  pastor,  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  to 
act  as  pastor  for  a  period  of  one  year.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was 
appointed  assistant  pastor  for  the  same  period. 

May  20,  1870.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  was  requested  to  preach,  or 
provide  some  one  in  his  stead,  every  Sabbath  for  one  year  at  Salem, 
except  when  the  church  should  arrange  otherwise.  At  the  same  time, 
the  church  expressed  its  gratification  that  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  had 
been  sent  to  labour  upon  the  West  Virginia  field  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and  urged  that  he  be 
kept  upon  that  field  for  a  full  year. 

September  24,  1870.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  who  had  been  called  to 
ordination  as  a  Gospel  minister  by  the  New  Salem  Church,  was 
solemnly  consecrated  to  the  duties  of  that  office,  at  the  request  of  the 
New  Salem  Church,  by  the  council  which  met  at  Greenbrier  to  organise 
a  church  at  that  place.  The  ordination  services  took  place  in 
connection  with  the  organisation  of  the  Greenbrier  Church. 

November  18,  1870.  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  to  labour 
with  the  Greenbrier  Church,  preaching  there  in  accordance  with  the 
regular  appointments  established  at  that  place  before  the  organisation 
of  the  Greenbrier  Church. 

May  19,  1871.  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  engaged  for  the  ensuing 
year  to  spend  about  one-sixth  of  his  time  in  pastoral  work  in  the 
church,   preaching  two   Sabbaths   in  each   month   at   New    Salem,  but 


114 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


preaching  the  first  Sabbath  of  the  month  at  such  places  as  his  judgment 
might  dictate. 

August  14,  1874.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  was  requested  to  join 
the  pastor  in  officiating  at  "Quarterly  Meetings,  monthly  meetings, 
and  other  services  of  the  church,  until  other  arrangements  should  be 
made." 

April  16,  1876.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  elected  pastor  of  the 
church,  with  the  understanding  that  he  give  his  entire  time  to  his  pas- 
toral duties,  at  an  annual  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  ($400.00). 

March  30,  1877.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  re-elected  pastor  for 
the  ensuing  year. 

May  17,  1878.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  re-elected  pastor  for  the 
ensuing  year. 

February  14,  1879.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  offered  his  resignation 
as  pastor.  The  resignation  was  laid  upon  the  table,  and  a  committee 
was  appointed  on  ways  and  means  of  paying  the  pastor's  salary,  and  to 
recommend  an  available  candidate  for  that  office. 

April  6,  1879.  The  committee  on  ways  and  means  reported  that 
it  had  arranged  with  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  to  continue  his  pastorate 
to  June  I,  following,  giving  one-half  his  time  to  the  duties  of  his  office, 
from  April  i.  The  committee  was  instructed  to  engage  Rev.  Charles 
M.  Lewis  as  pastor.  If  he  should  not  be  available,  other  names  were 
suggested  to  the  committee  from  which  they  might  select  a  pastor. 

May  16,  1879.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  presented  his  report  as  pastor 
for  the  year  ending  April  i,  previous.  In  his  report  he  offers  his 
resignation  as  follows  : — 

"The  experience  of  the  past  year  has  impressed  me  more  and  more 
with  the  fact  that  we  need  a  live  man  on  the  field  over  which  our  large 
and  interesting  church  is  scattered,  who  could,  untrammeled,  spend  his 
time  and  strength  in  building  up  the  church.  Hoping  this  want  will  be 
supplied,  I  now  tender  my  resignation  to  take  effect  on  the  first  day  of 
June,  1879." 

The  resignation  was  accepted.  In  his  report,  he  further  states  that 
through  the  liberality  of  Luther  F.  Randolph  and  Daniel  Fillmore  F. 
Randolph,  he  had  been  able  to  secure  the  services  of  Rev.  Charles  M. 
Lewis,  for  some  time,  for  revival  work  within  the  bounds  of  the  church. 

August  IS,  1879.  The  committee  on  ways  and  means  reported  that 
the  four  surviving  members  of  the  committee, — Lodowick  H.  Davis, 
Richard  Ford,  Preston  F.  Randolph,  and  Jesse  F.  Randolph — (the  fifth 
member,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  had  died  on  the  19th  of  the  preceding 
July),  would  become  personally  responsible  for  the  salary  of  the  pastor 
for  one  year,  and  that  an  arrangement  had  been  effected  with  Rev.  Uri 
M.  Babcock,  whereby  he  would  become  pastor  of  the  church  about  the 
first  of  the  following  November. 

November  19,  1880.  Rev.  Uri  M.  Babcock  accepted  the  call  of  the 
church  to  continue  as  its  pastor  for  another  year. 

May  20,  1881.     Rev.  Uri  M.  Babcock  offered  his  resignation  to  take 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


115 


effect  at  the  close  of  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Asso- 
ciation, which  was  to  convene  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  following  week. 
The  resignation  was  reluctantly  accepted. 

August  18,  1882.  The  church  extended  a  vote  of  thanks  to  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis  for  his  services  rendered  to  the  church  since  it  had 
been  without  a  pastor.  He  was  requested  to  continue  his  services,  and 
the  church  pledged  contributions  for  his  support. 

February  20,  1885.  Presley  Chedester  was  granted  licence  to 
preach  within  the  bounds  of  the  church  for  one  year.  He  was 
requested  to  preach  once  a  month  at  the  school  house  on  Buckeye  Run. 

May  15,  1885.  The  church  took  action  designed  to  encourage 
Marshall  L.  Chedester  to  enter  the  ministry. 

February  19,  1886.  The  licence  of  Presley  Chedester  to  preach 
within  the  bounds  of  the  church,  was  continued  for  another  year. 
Again  on  the  i8th  of  February,  1887,  his  licence  to  preach  was  extended 
until  the  next  Quarterly  Meeting,  at  which  time.  May  20,  1887,  his 
licence  was  again  renewed,  and  he  was  requested  to  preach  for  the 
church  at  Salem,  on  the  second  Sabbath  In  each  month  for  the  following 
six  months.  Finally  on  November  18,  1887,  the  licence  was  made  per- 
manent "to  preach  the  Gospel  wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  is  open 
to  him." 

November  18,  1887.  The  church  appointed  a  committee  "to  take 
such  steps  as  in  their  opinion  would  be  best  calculated  to  secure  a 
pastor  at  an  early  date." 

November  18,  1887.  Boothe  C.  Davis  was  granted  licence  to 
preach  the  Gospel  "wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  might  be  open  to 
him." 

February  19,  1888.  The  church  voted  to  employ  Rev.  John  L. 
Huffman  to  give  one-fourth  of  his  time  to  pastoral  work  in  the  church, 
at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  dollars  ($100.00)  a  year,  until  more  satis- 
factory arrangements  could  be  made.  The  following  resolution  was 
adopted  by  a  unanimous  vote : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  hereby  express  our  heartfelt  thanks  to 
Elder  Samuel  D.  Davis  for  his  faithful  services  and  pastoral  care  of 
the  church,  in  the  years  past,  and  ask  that  he  still  make  the  church  his 
special  care,  and  give  it  such  needed  services  as  he  may  be  able." 

June  18,  1888.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Ira  L.  Cottrell 
to  become  its  pastor  at  a  salary  of  five  hundred  dollars  ($500.00)  a  year. 

August  17,  1888.  Rev.  Ira  L.  Cottrell  declined  to  accept  the  call 
of  the  church  to  become  its  pastor.  The  committee  was  instructed  to 
continue  its  search  for  a  pastor. 

x\ugust  16,  1889.  Pursuant  to  the  recommendation  of  the  com- 
mittee, the  church  voted  that  Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson  be  employed 
"as  pastor  at  a  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars  ($400.00)  per  year." 
Under  the  direction  of  the  committee,  he  had  already  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  pastor  about  July  20th,  immediately  preceding  the  date  of 
this  meeting. 

August  30,    1890.     Rev.    Sanford  L.   Maxson  presented  his   resig- 


Ii6     SEVENTH  DAY   BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

nation  at  the  regular  Sabbath  morning  service,  to  order  to  devote  his 
entire  time  to  his  duties  as  president  of  Salem  College. 

September  7,  1890.  The  church  accepted  the  resignation  of  its 
pastor,  Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson,  and  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Oscar  U. 
Whitford  to  become  its  pastor. 

September  21,  1890.  The  clerk  of  the  church  reported  that  Rev. 
Oscar  U.  Whitford  had  declined  to  accept  the  call  of  the  church  to 
become  its  pastor.  The  church  now  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Lucius  R. 
Swinney. 

October  12,  1890.  The  church  received  a  communication  from 
Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  declining  the  call  of  the  church  to  become  its 
pastor.  The  committee  was  instructed  to  continue  its  search  for  a 
pastor. 

November  2,  1890.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Theodore 
L.  Gardiner  to  become  its  pastor  at  an  annual  salary  of  five  hundred 
dollars  ($500.00),  and  a  home.  At  the  regular  Quarterly  Meeting  of 
the  church,  which  occurred  on  the  third  Sabbath  in  November,  the 
church  received  a  communication  from  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner 
accepting  this  call. 

August  19,  1892.  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  presented  his  resig- 
nation as  pastor  of  the  church,  by  means  of  the  following 
communication : — 

"Salem,  West  Virginia,  August   19,   1892. 
"To   the   Salem    Seventh   Day   Baptist    Church;    in    regular    business 

meeting  assembled ; 

"Dear  Brethren  : — It  is  well  known  to  most  of  the  membership 
that  your  pastor  has  received  an  urgent  call  to  accept  the  presidency 
of  Salem  College,  to  give  his  entire  time  to  that  work.  Nothing  but 
the  great  importance  of  that  work,  as  it  relates  to  all  our  people  in 
West  Virginia,  would  induce  me  to  consider  it  for  a  moment,  since  it 
involves  the  necessity  of  resigning  this  pastorate.  But  the  circum- 
stances are  such  that  it  seems  to  be  my  duty  for  the  present  at  least, 
to  accept  their  call  to  the  school  work.  This  I  do  with  great  reluctancy, 
and  not  without  many  misgivings. 

"I  have  decided,  however,  to  accept  that  work  for  one  year  only, 
•with  the  privilege  of  making  final  decision  later  in  the  j'ear,  as  to 
whether  I  accept  it  as  a  permanent  work.  Some  months  will  elapse 
before  I  can  fully  settle  the  question  as  to  the  future.  Meantime,  I  am 
willing  to  do  all  of  the  Sabbath  preaching  that  I  am  able  to  do  for  the 
church,  until  such  time  as  the  church  may  find  it  convenient  and  feasible 
to  settle  another  as  my  successor. 

"I,  therefore,  do  hereby  ask  the    church    to    release    me  as    their 
pastor,  my  resignation  to  take  effect.  August  31,  1892. 
Respectfully,  and  with  great  regard, 

"Theodore  L.  Gardiner." 

The  resignation  was  accepted,  and  the  offer  to  preach  on  Sabbath, 
as  a  supply,  was    likewise    accepted.     In     return  for    his    services    in 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  I17 

preaching,  he  received  the  privilege  of  occupying  the  parsonage  free  of 
charge. 

February  17,  1893.  Samuel  Hoffman  Davis  "was  granted  licence 
to  preach  the  Gospel  wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  is  open  to  him." 

March  26,  1893.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  John  L. 
Huffman  to  become  pastor  of  the  church.  On  April  16,  1893,  a  com- 
munication was  received  from  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  accepting  the 
call  of  the  church  to  become  its  pastor,  at  a  salary  of  five  hundred 
dollars  ($500.00)  annually,  and  the  use  of  the  parsonage,  from  July  i, 
1893.  He  further  stipulated  that  the  engagement  should  continue 
indefinitely,  but  that  it  should  cease  upon  three  months  notice  given  by 
either  party. 

May  19,  1893.  A  communication  was  received  by  the  church  from 
Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  stating  that  that  society  had  appropriated 
one  hundred  ($100.00)  a  year  toward  the  support  of  a  pastor  of  the 
Salem  Church. 

August  24,  1894.  The  church  granted  the  pastor  leave  of  absence 
to  enable  him  to  engage  in  evangelistic  labour,  for  a  period  not  to 
exceed  four  months.  The  church  was  not  to  be  responsible  for  his 
salary  during  his  absence;  but  he  was  to  occupy  the  parsonage,  in 
return  for  the  use  of  which  he  was  to  engage  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardi- 
ner, the  president  of  Salem  College,  to  preach  at  the  Sabbath  morning 
service. 

November  16,  1894.  The  clerk  of  the  church  was  instructed  to 
inform  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  that  the  church 
was  willing  to  endeavour  to  meet  its  own  expenses  for  the  ensuing  year. 

December  15,  1894.  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman's  leave  of  absence  was 
extended,  at  his  request,  until  the  ist  of  the  following  April,  if  in  his 
judgment,  circumstances  should  so  require.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  arrange  with  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  to  preach  for  the 
church,  during  the  pastor's  continued  absence. 

May  25,    1895.     Rev.    John    L.    Huffman   presented    the    following 
letter  :— 
"To  the  Salem  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church ; 

"Dear  Brethren  : — I  hereby  offer  my  resignation  as  pastor  of  this 
church,  to  take  effect  the  30th  day  of  June,  1895.  My  reasons  for  doing 
so  are, 

"First,  The  great  demands  on  the  part  of  our  people  at  the  present 
time  for  evangelistic  work,  and  my  especial  adaptation  to  that  kind  of 
work,  and  my  desire  to  engage  in  such  work  while  I  am  able. 

"Second.  I  do  so,  hoping  that  you  may  get  some  one  to  serve  you 
as  pastor,  who  may  be  better  able  to  succeed  in  building  up  the  cause 
of  God  among  you. 

"J.  L.  Huffman." 

June  9,  1895.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  church,  the  pastor  with- 
drew his  resignation,  at  the  urgent  request  of  the  church,  and  he  was 
granted  leave  of  absence  for  a  period  of  one  year,  from  the  first  of  the 


Il8    SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS   IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

following  July.  The  church  engaged  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  to 
occupy  the  pulpit  and  to  perform  such  pastoral  labour  as  he  might  be 
able.  For  this  service,  he  was  to  receive  two  hundred  dollars 
for  the  year,  and  have  the  use  of  the  parsonage  besides. 

August  i8,  1895.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott  "was  licenced  to  preach  the 
Gospel  as  opportunity  is  presented." 

December  28,  1895.  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  again  offered  his  resig- 
nation, to  take  effect  April  i,  1896.  At  a  church  meeting,  held  on  the 
14th  of  the  following  February,  the  resignation  was  accepted,  and  a 
committee  appointed  to  take  steps  to  obtain  his  successor. 

March  29,  1896.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Lely  D. 
Seager  to  become  its  pastor,  at  a  salary  of  four  hundred  dollars 
($400.00)  a  year,  and  the  use  of  the  parsonage.  The  call  was 
accepted,  and  the  church  acceded  to  the  request  of  its  new  pastor 
that  he  be  allowed  to  wait  until  the  following  fall  to  move  his  family 
to  Salem. 

November  20,  1896.  The  church  accepted  the  resignation  of  the 
pastor,  Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager,  to  take  effect  January  i,  1897,  and 
appointed  a  committee  to  obtain  another  pastor. 

September  12,  1897.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  George  W. 
Lewis,  of  Hammond,  Louisiana,  to  become  its  pastor  at  a  salary  of  four 
hundred  dollars  ($400.00)  a  year,  and  the  use  of  the  parsonage.  The 
call  was  accepted,  and  the  new  pastor  entered  upon  his  labours  on  the 
first  of  the  following  November.  In  the  meantime,  the  church  had  in- 
vited Riley  G.  Davis,  a  licentiate  of  the  Greenbrier  Church,  attending 
Salem  College,  to  occupy  the  pulpit,  until  the  arrival  of  the  pastor. 

November  13,  1898.  Flavius  J.  Ehret  was  granted  licence  to 
preach  "wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  was  open  to  him  to  do  so." 

February  12,  1899.  The  church  took  action  encouraging  Aldis  L. 
Davis  to  make  preparation  to  enter  the  Gospel  ministry. 

July  2,  1899.  Rev.  George  W.  Lewis  presented  his  resignation  as 
pastor,  urging  as  the  reason  for  this  action,  the  ill  health  of  his  wife, 
and  of  his  parents.  The  church  regretfully  accepted  the  resignation 
to  take  effect  the  20th  of  the  following  August,  and  appointed  a 
committee  to  obtain  a  new  pastor. 

August  13,  1899.  The  church  adopted  the  following  recommenda- 
tion of  the  committee  on  pastor : — 

"That  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  take  pastoral  charge,  tempora- 
rily, until  a  permanent  pastor  be  secured,  and  that  he  have  at  the  rate 
of  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ($250.00)  per  year,  and  the  use  of 
the  parsonage,  for  the  benefit  of  himself  and  such  supply  as  he  may  see 
fit  to  employ.  The  church  may  not  terminate  this  arrangement  until 
at  least  three  months'  notice  thereof  be  given." 

October  2,  1899.  Samuel  B.  Bond,  who  had  previously  been  a 
member  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  by  which  he  had  been  licenced  to 
preach,  was  received  into  the  membership  of  the  Salem  Church,  and 
his  licence  to  preach  continued. 

May   12,    1901.     Rev.   Theodore   L.    Gardiner   presented   his   resig- 


REV.    THEODORE    LIVINGSTON    GARDINER.    D.    D. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


119 


nation  as  acting  pastor,  to  take  effect  at  the  close  of  the  spring  term  of 
the  college  year,  in  the  following  month.     The  resignation  was  accepted. 

May  25,  1901.  The  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter 
to  become  its  pastor.  On  June  22,  following,  a  communication  was 
presented  to  the  church  from  him,  in  which  he  stated  the  conditions 
upon  which  he  would  accept  the  call,  which  were  accepted,  as  follows : 

"First.  The  term  of  service  shall  be  indefinite,  but  not  less  than 
three  years ;  and  three  months  notice  shall  be  given  by  either  party 
wishing  to  terminate  the  agreement,  after  three  years.  Service  shall 
begin  about  the  ist  of  October  next. 

"Second.  The  church  shall  pay  him  six  hundred  dollars  ($600.00) 
per  year,  and  give  him  the  use  of  the  parsonage.  It  shall  also  pay  him 
half  of  his  expense  in  moving  to  this  place." 

The  deacons  were  instructed  to  make  arrangements  for  the  services 
of  the  church,  pending  the  arrival  of  the  pastor.  On  October  26,  1901, 
at  the  Sabbath  morning  service,  Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter,  his  wife,  and  two 
daughters,  were  received  into  membership  of  the  church,  and  his  term 
of  service  as  pastor  began.  It  continues  at  the  date  of  this  writing, 
August  I,  1902. 

RULING   ELDERS. 

After  the  removal  of  the  church  to  New  Salem,  the 
church  records  show  the  following  action  regarding  ruling 
elders : — 

November  11,  1798.     Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  a  ruling  elder. 

August  ir,  1799.  The  church  voted  that  the  office  of  ruling  elder 
was  not  scriptural,  unless  they  were  ordained  ministers  of  the  Gospel. 

November  16,  1799.  After  a  protracted  discussion  of  the  subject, 
it  was  voted  that  laymen  should  be  appointed  to  the  office  of  ruling 
elder,  and  John  Davis  was  appointed  ruling  elder.  The  church  voted  fur- 
ther that  he  should  be  ordained,  for  the  purpose  of  administering  the 
ordinances  of  the  church.     He  was  also  granted  licence  to  preach. 

June  8,  1800.  The  ordination  of  John  Davis  as  a  ruling  elder, 
which  was  to  have  taken  place  on  this  date,  was  postponed  till  the  first 
Sabbath  in  July,  for  lack  of  necessary  official  assistance. 

August   10,   1800.     Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  an  elder. 

May  14,  1819.  George  J.  Davis,  of  Greenbrier,  was  appointed  a 
ruling  elder.  On  the  same  day,  Simeon  Maxson  was  appointed  a  ruling 
elder,  on  Middle  Island. 

August  16,  1822.  It  was  voted  that  the  office  of  ruling  elder  should 
be  abolished. 

DEACONS. 

The  following  records  appear  relating  to  the  deacons  of 
the  New  Salem  Church : — 

January  11,  1795.     Zebulon  Maxson  was  chosen  deacon  on  trial. 
May  10,  1795.     The  church  on  this  date  recognised  two  deacons, 
but  their  names  are  not  given. 


I20     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS   IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

August  9,  1795.  It  was  voted  that  Zebulon  Maxson  should  be 
ordained  deacon,  at  the  first  opportunity. 

February  12,  1797.  It  was  again  voted  that  Zebulon  Maxson  should 
be  ordained  deacon  at  the  first  opportunity. 

August  II,  1799.     Jacob  Davis  was  chosen  deacon. 

August  10,  1800.     Simeon  Maxson  was  appointed  deacon. 

November  8,  1801.     Samuel  Lippincott  was  appointed  deacon. 

April  10,  1802.  Simeon  Maxson  and  Samuel  Lippincott  were 
ordained  deacons,  by  Rev.  John  Davis,  and  by  Thomas  Maxson,  deacon 
of  the  West  Fork  River  Church. 

June  19,  1818.     Peter  Davis  was  chosen  deacon. 

February  20,  1824.  William  F.  Randolph  and  Jacob  Maxson  were 
appointed  deacons. 

May  20,  1831.     John  Sutton  was  appointed  deacon. 

May  12,  1833.  Jonathan  F.  Randolph  and  Amaziah  Bee  were 
appointed  deacons. 

June  12,  1836.  The  church  accepted  the  resignation  of  Amaziah 
Bee  as  deacon. 

February  12,  1844.  Jonathan  F.  Randolph  resigned  his  office  as 
deacon. 

February  12,  1844.     Lodowick  H.  Davis  was  appointed  deacon. 

November  17,  1855.  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  was  appointed  deacon, 
to  serve  in  connection  with  Lodowick  H.  Davis. 

May  18,  1866.  Judson  F.  Randolph  was  appointed  deacon,  to  serve 
in  connection  with  the  present  deacons  (Lodowick  H.  Davis  and  Jep- 
thah F.  Randolph). 

May  18,  1867.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  sol- 
emnly set  apart  by  ordination,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Jepthah  F.  Ran- 
dolph, and  Judson  F.  Randolph,  to  the  duties  of  their  office  as  deacons, 
by  prayer,  laying  on  of  hands,  extending  the  right  hand  of  fellowship, 
and  a  charge  as  to  the  duties  of  their  office. 

August  19,  187 1.  Lloyd  F.  Randolph  was  ordained  to  the  office  of 
deacon. 

November  8,  1887.     Frederick  M.  Swiger  was  appointed  deacon. 

February  20,  1888.  Frederick  M.  Swiger  was  ordained  to  the 
office  of  deacon. 

March  19,  1892.     Flavius  J.  Ehret,  a  deacon  in  the  Ritchie  Church 
was  received  into  the  New  Salem  Church  as  a  member  and  authorised 
to  continue  his  functions  as  a  deacon. 

May  7,  1899.  Stillman  F.  Lowther,  M.  Wardner  Davis,  and  Martin 
Van  Buren  Davis  were  appointed  deacons,  and  ordained  to  that  office 
on  the  17th  of  the  following  June. 

MODERATORS. 

After  the  last  record  was  made  before  the  church  deserted 
its  New  Jersey  home,  no  mention  is  made  of  a  moderator  until 
February  18,  1831,  when,  after  due  deliberation,  the  church 
voted  to  have  a  permanent  moderator,  and  Ezekiel  Bee  was 


j£^/A:^-^  )^  ^;/U^^^^/^ 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  I2l 

elected  at  once,  to  that  office.  How  long  he  acted  in  that 
capacity,  the  records  do  not  state  explicitly. 

Business  meetings  of  the  church  were  held  in  various 
places,  such  as  on  Halls  Run,  Greenbrier  Run,  Meat  House 
Fork,  and  at  Lewisport,  as  well  as  at  other  places  perhaps,  in 
order  to  bring  the  various  groups  of  the  membership  living  at 
points  too  remote  to  attend  such  meetings  at  the  village  of  New 
Salem  conveniently,  into  vital  contact  with  the  business  inter- 
ests of  the  church.  Consequently,  it  was  by  no  means 
convenient  for  the  moderator  and  clerk  to  attend  all,  or  any 
large  proportion,  of  the  church  meetings.  As  a  result,  some 
one  who  happened  to  be  present  at  any  given  meeting,  was 
elected  moderator  for  the  day. 

Then  again,  after  it  became  the  practise  to  hold  the  business 
meetings  of  the  church  at  the  village  of  New  Salem,  only,  it 
was  the  custom  to  appoint,  with  greater  or  less  frequency,  as 
moderator  for  the  day,  some  visiting  minister,  or  some  promi- 
nent lay  member  of  another  church,  who  happened  to  be  pres- 
ent. This  was  looked  upon  as  a  sort  of  honour,  which  it  was 
the  privilege  of  the  church  to  bestow  upon  a  guest.  Such 
action  was  doubtless  inspired  in  part  also,  by  a  realising  sense 
of  ignorance,  on  the  part  of  the  members  of  the  church,  of 
parliamentary  usage. 

In  this  way,  the  records  of  the  church  show  that  James 
Bailey,  David  Clawson,  Azor  Estee,  Walter  B.  Gillette, 
Charles  A.  Burdick,  and  Charles  M.  Lewis,  presided  over  the 
business  meetings  of  the  church.  Some  of  these,  particularly 
David  Clawson  and  Charles  A.  Burdick,  acted  as  moderator 
almost  continuously  for  a  year  or  more  at  a  time. 

Previous  to  1840,  the  following  named  persons  served  as 
moderator  pro  tempore : —  Asa  Bee,  Amaziah  Bee,  Peter 
Davis,  and  James  Bailey. 

During  the  next  decade,  the  following  names  appear: — 
Amaziah  Bee,  Peter  Davis,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Jesse  J.  Davis, 
George  J.  Davis,  and  George  Ford. 

From  1850  to  1859,  inclusive,  Azor  Estee,  Lodowick  H. 
Davis,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  Jesse  J.  Davis,  David  Clawson, 
and  John  LaForge  F.  Randolph,  all  occupied  the  moderator's 
chair,  pro  tempore. 

During  the  next  ten  years,  are  found  the  following  named 


122     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

moderators  pro  tempore: —  Samuel  D.  Davis,  Lodowick  H. 
Davis,  and  Judson  F.  Randolph. 

During  the  following  ten  years,  1870- 1879,  Lloyd  F.  Ran- 
dolph, Walter  B.  Gillette,  Charles  A.  Burdick,  Moses  H. 
Davis,  Jacob  Davis,  Charles  M.  Lewis,  Samuel  D.  Davis,  and 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  were  all  elected  to  the  the  chair  for  the 
day. 

In  the  absence  of  any  record  to  the  contrary,  it  is  fair  to 
assume  that  Ezekiel  Bee  was  regarded  as  the  permanent 
moderator  from  the  date  of  his  election  in  183 1,  till  he  severed 
his  connection  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  August  30,  1844, 
in  order  to  become  a  member  of  the  Middle  Island  Church. 

The  church  then  seems  to  have  been  without  a  permanent 
moderator  until  November  17,  1848,  when  George  J.  Davis 
appears  to  have  been  elected  to  that  office. 

In  order  to  lessen  the  burdens  imposed  by  the  official 
duties  of  the  moderator,  George  J.  Davis,  the  office  of  assist- 
ant moderator  was  created,  on  November  17,  1854,  and 
George  Ford  was  elected  to  fill  it.  On  the  14th  of  February, 
1862,  on  account  of  his  advanced  age,  the  church  relieved 
George  J.  Davis  from  serving  as  moderator ;  and  George  Ford, 
the  assistant  moderator,  succeeded  to  the  office  of  moderator. 
George  J.  Davis  died  February  10,  1868. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  1865,  Lodowick  H.  Davis  was 
elected  assistant  moderator. 

August  15,  1879,  the  church  voted  to  elect  a  moderator 
annually,  beginning  with  the  next  regular  church  meeting,  and 
on  the  14th  of  the  following  November,  George  Ford  was 
elected  moderator  for  one  year. 

November  19,  1880,  Lodowick  H.  Davis  was  elected 
moderator.  He  was  succeeded  on  February  17,  1882,  by 
Lloyd  F.  Randolph,  who  served  continuously  for  many  years, 
being  re-elected  from  year  to  year. 

On  February  19,  1898,  W.  Franklin  Davis  was  elected 
moderator  for  the  ensuing  year,  and  at  the  expiration  of  that 
period,  he  was  re-elected  and  has  served  down  to  the  date  of 
this  writing,  August  i,  1902. 

CHURCH    CLERKS. 

For  a  period  of  fifty  years  and  more,  the  records  of  the 
Shrewsbury  and  New  Salem  Church  fail  to  show  the  name  of 


LOnOWICK   HUGHES  D/WIS. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  1 23 

the  church  clerk,  as  the  minutes  of  church  meetings  are 
unsigned,  and  mention  of  the  name  of  the  clerk  is  not  otherwise 
made.  The  records  contain  the  name  of  the  clerk,  for  the 
first  time,  January  10,  1796.  That  record  and  subsequent 
ones  are  as  follows : — 

January  10,  1796.  William  Davis  was  discharged  as  clerk  of  the 
church,  and  Mosher  Maxson  was  appointed  in  his  stead. 

November  8,  1801.  William  Davis  appears  again  as  clerk;  and  also 
on  May  9,  1803. 

July  15,  1804.     Joshua  Davis  was  appointed  clerk. 

January,  1828.  John  Sutton  was  appointed  clerk,  probably  for  the 
day  only.i 

August  12,  1832.  Jesse  Davis  was  appointed  permanent  clerk  to 
serve  co-ordinately  with  Joshua  Davis.On  this  date,  Jonathan  F.  Ran- 
dolph and  John  Sutton  were  appointed  to  supervise  the  beginning  of 
the  new  book  of  records. 

February  10,  1833.     The  name  of  Jesse  J.  Davis  appears  as  clerk. 

April  14,  1835.  The  church  accepted  the  resignation  of  Joshua 
Davis  as  clerk,  and  John  Sutton  was  appointed  to  serve  in  his  stead, 
along  with  Jesse  J.  Davis. 

May  15,  1836.     Jepthah  F.  Randolph  was  chosen  permanent  clerk. 

May  19,  1843.  The  resignation  of  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  as  clerk 
of  the  church  was  accepted. 

December  7,  1843.  William  B.  Davis  was  appointed  assistant  to 
the  clerk,  Jesse  J.  Davis. 

May  18,  1855.  Franklin  F.  Randolph  was  appointed  assistant  to 
the  clerk,  William  B.  Davis. 

May  20,  1864.  Franklin  F.  Randolph  was  elected  clerk,  inasmuch 
as  the  duties  of  that  office  had  fallen  upon  him,  wholly,  since  August 

IS,  iSss- 

On  November  16,  1883,  Franklin  F.  Randolph  served  the 
New  Salem  Church  as  clerk  for  the  last  time,  as  he  had  joined 
the  Greenbrier  Church  on  the  226.  of  September  previous.  In 
recognition  of  his  twenty-eight  years  of  faithful  service  as 
clerk,  the  church  adopted  the  following  resolution,  offered 
by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis : — 

"Whereas,  Brother  Franklin  F.  Randolph  has  served  this  church 
for  twenty-eight  years  as  secretary,  in  all  of  which  time  he  has  been 
faithful  and  efficient ;  therefore, 

RESOLVED,  That  we  wish  to  place  on  record  our  heartfelt 
thanks  to  him,  under  God,  for  this  self-sacrificing  service." 


I.  An  entry  made  under  date  of  May  20,  1831,  may  indicate  that  at  Middle 
Island  (Lewisport),  another  record  book  was  kept  by  Nathan  Davis.  If  such 
a  record  book  did  exist,  the  present  writer  has  been  unable  to  find  it. 


124     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

Although  he  served  as  clerk  at  the  church  meeting  on 
the  i6th  of  November,  1883,  the  last  record  entered  in  his 
handwriting  is  that  under  date  of  August  17,  1883. 

November  16,  1883.     Alexander  F.  Randolph  was  elected  clerk. 

February  15,  1884.  Alexander  F.  Randolph  declined  to  serve  as 
clerk,  and  Marshall  L.  Chedester  was  elected  in  his  place. 

May  18,  1888.  Marshall  L.  Chedester  presented  his  resignation  as 
clerk.  The  church  accepted  it,  and  Preston  F.  Randolph  was  elected 
to  that  office,  and  has  served  continuously  up  to  the  present  time. 

CHURCH  MEMBERS. 

This  is  a  list  of  names  of  members  of  the  New  Salem 
Church,  as  they  appear  in  the  church  records,  from  the  date 
of  the  arrival  of  the  church  at  New  Salem,  down  to  the  close 
of  the  year  1845. 

This  list  and  a  similar  list  in  the  chapter  on  the  Shren'S- 
bury  Church  contain  all  the  names  of  members  of  the  church, 
which  appear  in  the  records  for  a  full  hundred  years. 

In  the  absence  from  the  records,  of  a  formal  list  of  names 
of  the  members  of  the  church,  the  names  are  given  as  they 
appear  in  the  records  from  time  to  time,  as  follows: — 

December  24,  1792.  William  Maxson  and  Mosher  Maxson  are 
named  as  the  principals  in  a  dispute,  regarding  their  private  business 
affairs. 

June  28,  1793.  Isaac  Morris  and  "Deacon"  Maxson  were 
appointed  to  represent  the  New  Salem  Church  at  the  organisation  of 
the  West  Fork  River  Church. 

May  II,  1794.  Rev.  Isaac  Morris  was  given  a  letter  of  recommen- 
dation to  join  the  West  Fork  River  Church.  The  church  also  settled 
business  affairs  involving  Jacob  Davis,  Simeon  Maxson,  William 
Davis,  James  Maxson,  and  Thomas  Babcock. 

September  14,  1794.  John  Davis,  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  and 
Simeon  Maxson  were  appointed  to  represent  the  church  at  a  business 
meeting  of  the  West  Fork  River  Church. 

December  20,  1794.  Joseph  Davis  (son  of  James),  and  Amy 
LiPPiNcoTT  (wife  of  Samuel  Lippincott),  were  received  into  the  church. 

January  11,  1795.  John  Patterson  and  his  wife,  Sarah,  were 
received  into  the  church,  by  letter  from  the  church  at  Georges  Creek, 
(the  Woodbridgetown,  Pennsylvania,  Church). 

March  12,  1797.  The  names  of  Cornelius  Sutton  and  Benjamin 
Thorp  are  recorded  as  members  of  the  church. 

August  14,  1797.  The  name  of  George  Maxson  appears  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church. 

September  10,  1797.  James  Davis  and  Rebekah,  his  wife,  are 
recorded  as  members  of  the  church. 


FRANK  LIN    FITZ    RAXDOI.PH. 

(Fnini  a  pliotograpli  taken   in    i88<S). 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


125 


October  14,  1797.  John  Davis^  Jonathan  Davis,  and  Elisabeth 
Ball,  were  all  baptized. 

January  14,  1798.  Joel  Davis,  son  of  William,  was  baptized  and 
received  into  the  church. 

July    8,    1798.     Thomas    Maxson,     Jesse     Maxson    and    James 
Maxson  are  recorded  as  members  of  the  church. 
March  24,  1799.     John  Bertly  was  baptized. 

June  8,  1800.  John  Maxson  and  Mary  Fitz  Randolph  were 
received  into  the  church. 

May  10,  1801.  Margaret  Davis,  wife  of  Philip  Davis;  and 
Nancy  Davis,  wife  of  Samuel  Davis,  were  baptized  and  received  into 
the  church. 

June  14,  1801.  The  following  were  baptized  and  received  into  the 
church : — 

Peter  Hall, 
Joshua  Davis, 
George  Davis, 
Content  Davis, 
Elisabeth  Davis, 
Sally  Davis, 
Hannah  Davis. 
July  19,  1801.     The  following  were  baptized  and  received  into  the 
church : — 

Samuel  Lippincott, 
Mary  Maxson, 

Hannah  Davis,  wife  of  Joseph  Davis. 
August  16,  1801.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church : — 
Thomas  Clayton, 

Elisabeth  Clayton,  wife  of  Thomas  Clayton, 
David  Fitz  Randolph, 

Mary  Fitz  Randolph,  wife  of  David  Fitz  Randolph, 
Charity  Maxson^ 
Amy  Davis. 
October  15,  1802.     James  Hill  was  baptized  and  received  into  the 
church. 

May  9,  1803.  On  this  date,  the  following  named  members  were 
all  present  at  a  church  meeting,  and  had  their  names  afifixed  to  a 
certificate  of  licence  to  preach,  granted  by  the  church  to  Joseph 
Davis : — 

Rev.  John  Davis, 

Zebulon  Maxson, 
Nathan  Davis,  Senior, 
Nathan  Davis,  Junior, 
Samuel  Fitz  Randolph, 
Thomas   Clayton, 
James  Davis, 
Rebekah  Davis, 
George  Davis> 


126     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

Joseph  Davis, 

Joseph  Davis  and  wife, 

Jesse  F.  Randolph, 

Richard  Bond,  Senior, 

Mary  Bond, 

Richard  Bond,  Junior, 

Peter  Hall, 

Samuel  Davis, 

Elisabeth  Clayton, 

Delilah   Fitz  Randolph, 

Margaret  Fitz  Randolph, 

Nancy   Davis, 

Simeon  Maxson, 

Elisabeth   Maxson, 

William  Davis,  Clerk. 
October  5,  1805.     Mary  Bond  was  baptized  and  received  into  the 
church  by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

Oct.  5,  1805 — May  11,  1806.  At  some  time  between  these 
two  dates,  the  following  joined  the  newly  organised  Lost  Creek 
Church : — 

Richard  Bond,  Senior, 

Richard   Bond,  Junior, 

George  Davis> 

Marvel  Davis, 

Mary  Bond. 
August  16,  1807 — December  28,  1815.     At  some  time  between  these 
two  dates,  Peter  Davis  was  received  into  the  church  by  the  laying  on 
of  hands. 

January  4,  1817.  Jacob  Davis,  Sarah  Davis,  and  Elisabeth 
Davis  were  received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

May  15,  1818.  The  following  were  received  into  the  church  by 
Rev.  John  Davis  : — 

Mary  Davis,  daughter  of  Rev.  John  Davis, 

Mary  Maxson,  daughter  of  Simeon  Maxson, 

Marvel  Maxson,  daughter  of   Zebulon   Maxson, 

Parhelia  Maxson^  daughter  of  Zebulon  Maxson. 
April   17,   1819.     The   following  were  received  into  the  church  by 
Rev.  John  Davis  : — 

George  J.  Davis,  son  of  William,  of  Greenbrier, 

Asenath  Hughes, 

Leah  Hughes, 

Hannah  Hughes, 

Rachel  Sutton. 
April  18,  1819.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church : — 

Dudley  Hughes,  son  of  Jonathan, 

William  Hughes,  son  of  Jonathan, 

Jonathan  Howell, 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  127 

Catharine  Davis,  wife  of  George  J.  Davis, 

Anna  Davis. 
May  14,   1819.     Abigail  Hughes,  wife  of  Jonathan  Hughes,  was 
received  into  the  church. 

May  15,  1819.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church: — 

Jonathan  Hughes, 

Martin  Hughes,  son  of  Jonathan, 

William  F.  Randolph,  son  of  Jonathan, 

Elisabeth  Hughes,  daughter  of  Jonathan  Hughes. 
June  20,   1819.     The   following  were  received  into  the  church  by 
Rev.  John  Davis  : — 

Phineas  Davis, 

Rhulanah  Davis, 

Stephen  Davis, 

Jesse  Davis, 

Gamble   Shannon. 
July   18,    1819.     The   following  were   received  into  the   church  by 
Rev.  John  Davis  : — 

Elisabeth  Davis,  wife  of  William  Davis,  of  Greenbrier, 

John  Sutton^ 

William  Davis,  son  of  "Bottom  William," 

Rachel  Davis, 

Vienna  Davis, 

Charity   Levenston    (Livingston?). 
August  21,  1819.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church  by 
Rev.  John  Davis  : — 

Betsey  Davis,  wife  of  James  Davis, 

Sylvester  Davis, 

Lydia  Davis, 

Jepthah   Davis, 

Elisabeth  Howell, 

Keziah  Davis, 

Lydia  Brown, 

Experience  Davis, 

Jane  Davis, 

Jacob  Maxson,  son  of  Simeon, 

Rebekah   Maxson, 

Joshua  Davis,  son  of  William, 

Catharine  Davis,  wife  of  Joshua, 

Samuel  F.  Randolph,  (son  of  Jesse?), 

John  Loofboro, 

Lewis  Davis. 
September     19,     1819.     The     following     were     received     into     the 
church : — 

EzEKiEL  Brown, 

Tacy  Brown, 

Elisabeth  Davis,  wife  of  "Bottom  William," 

Elisabeth  Davis,  wife  of  William,  son  of  Nathan. 


128    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

November  20,  1819.  Content  Davis  was  received  into  the  church 
by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

March  19,  1820.  John  Davis,  son  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  viras  bap- 
tized and  received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

August  18,  1820.  Leah  Stuttler  is  recorded  as  a  member  of  the 
church. 

October  21,  1820.     Tacy  Davis  was  received  into  the  church. 
May  17,  1821.     James  Jarvis  was  received  into  the  church  by  Rev. 
John  Davis. 

May  17,  1822.  Ephraim  Bee  was  received  into  the  church  by  Rev. 
John  Davis. 

May  15,  1824.  Experience  Brown  was  baptized  by  Lewis  A.  Davis 
and  received  into  the  church  by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

1829-1830.  The  following  is  "a  list  of  those  received  into  this 
church  from  the  Quarterly  Meeting,  November,  1829,  until  the  February 
[Quarterly]  Meeting,  1830": — 

Reuben  D.  Sutton, 

Drusilla  Sutton, 

Absolom  a.  Davis, 

Polina  Davis, 

Joshua  S.  Davis, 

Hannah  Davis, 

William  Babcock, 

David  Hughes, 

Jane  Fitz  Randolph, 

Jesse  J.  Davis, 

Amos  Davis, 

ZiBA  Davis, 

John  Maxson, 

Mary  Maxson, 

Gideon   Maxson, 

Elisabeth  Maxson, 

Levi  B.  Matthew, 

John  W.  M.\tthew, 

Levi  Davis, 

Jane  Eliza  Davis, 

Deborah  Sutton, 

Levi  Sutton, 

Davis  Sutton, 

Asa  Bee, 

JosiAH   Bee, 

John  D.  Bee, 

Priscilla  Davis, 

HuLDA  Davis, 

Ehud  Davis, 

George  J.  Sutton, 

Eleanor  Sutton, 

Eliona  Davis, 
(8) 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH  129 

Sophia  Davis^ 

John  Kelley^ 

Sophia  Kelley^ 

Amaziah  Bee^ 

Rhoda  Bee, 

EzEKiEL  Bee^ 

Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph,  Senior, 

Elisabeth    Fitz   Randolph, 

LuRANA  Davis, 

William  B.  Davis, 

Martha   Davis, 

Charlotte  Davis, 

Mary  Josephine  Davis, 

David  Davis,  Senior, 

Lydia  Davis, 

Elias   B.   Davis, 

Delilah  Davis, 

Robert  Alexander, 

Lydia  Maxson, 

James  Maxson, 

Lucinda  Howell, 

Maria  Ann  Howell, 

Washington  Howell, 

Content  Shannon, 

William  J.  Davis, 

John  S.  Davis, 

Esther  Davis, 

Calvin  Davis, 

James  Davis,  Senior, 

Luther  Davis, 

Madison  Davis, 

Phiathata  Davis, 

John  Knight, 

Solomon  Sayres, 

William  S.  Davis, 

Sophia  Davis, 

Mary  Davis,, 

Lewis  Davis, 

Edith  Davis, 

AsENATH  Davis. 

1830.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church  in  this  year, 
after  the  Quarterly  Meeting  in  February : — 

"Squire"  Davis, 
James  Shannon, 
Jepthah  Fitz  Randolph, 
Mary  Hughes, 
Laban  Davis. 


I30     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

1831.     The   following   were   received   into   the   church   during  this 
year : — 

LoDowiCK  H.  Davis, 

Peter  W.  Davis, 

Ann  Davis. 
August    19,    183 1.     On  this   date,   the   Middle   Island   Church   pre- 
sented a  letter  containing  the  names  of  those  members  of  the   New 
Salem  Church  who  had  joined  the  recently  organised  Middle   Island 
Church.     They  were  as  follows  : 

William  G.  Davis, 

Elias  L.  Davis, 

Ephraim   Bee, 

James  Davis, 

Gamble  Shannon, 

Jonathan  Howell, 

Simeon  Maxson, 

Jacob  Maxson, 

George  W.  Howell, 

Calvin  Davis, 

James  M.  Davis, 

James  Maxson, 

Elisabeth  Howell, 

Lydia  Davis, 

Phiathata  Davis, 

Mary  Howell, 

Maria  A.  Howell, 

William  J.  Davis, 

James  Shannon, 

Content  Shannon, 

Elisabeth  Davis, 

Solomon  Sayres, 

Experience  Davis, 

John  Knight, 

Mary  Knight, 

William   S.  Davis, 

Lewis  Bond, 

Elisabeth  Davis, 

Keziah  Davis. 
August  19,  1831.     On  this  date,  letters  of  dismissal  were  granted 
the  following : — 

Robert  Alexander, 

Luther  Davis, 

Sylvester  Davis. 
February     12,     1832.     Letters     of     dismissal     were     granted     the 
following: — 

Nathan  Davis, 

Jane  Davis, 

Lewis  Davis, 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


131 


Mary  Davis, 

Edith  Davis, 

Sapphira  Davis,  virife  of  William  S.  Davis, 

Mary  Maxson, 

Joshua  Davis, 

Catharine  Davis, 

William  Babcock, 

AsENETH  Babcock, 

Mary  Hughes. 
August   16,   1833.     Letters  of  dismissal  were  granted  Rev.   Lewis 
A.  Davis,  and  his  wife,  Rebecca,  to  join  the  church  at  Pike,  Ohio.  On 
the  same  date,  the  following  were  also  received  into  membership  in  the 
church : — 

Nancy  Brown, 

Charlotte  Davis, 

Henry  Jones, 

Hester  Jones, 

Jane  Sutton. 

August  9,  1835.     A  letter  of  dismissal  was  granted  to  Asa  Bee. 
April  20,  1838.     The  name  of  Elisabeth  Erasure  appears  in  the 
minutes  of  the  church  meeting  of  this  date. 

May  17,  1839.     The  name  of  Benjamin  Davis  appears  in  the  min- 
utes of  the  business  meeting  of  this  date. 

August  21,   1841.     Martha  Bee,  wife  of  Jonathan  Bee,  was  bap- 
tized, and  on  the  following  day  was  received  into  the  church. 

April  16,  1842.     Mary  Ann  Kelley,  daughter  of  John  Kelley,  was 
baptized  and  received  into  the  church. 

May  21,  1842.     Lucinda  Davis,  daughter  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  was 
received  into  the  church.     She  had  been  baptized  some  years  previously. 
November    18,    1843.     Abigail    Kelley    and    Jemima    Davis    were 
received  into  membership  in  the  church. 

August    15,     1844.     A     letter     of    recommendation    was     granted 
Joseph  Jeffrey  and  his  wife,  Tacy,  to  join  the  Middle  Island  Church. 

1845.     The  following  were  received  into  membership  in 

the  church : — 

George  Eord, 
PoLiNA  Ford, 
Richard  Ford, 
Emily  Ford, 
Joel  H.  Davis, 
Charles   G.   Davis, 
Margaret  Davis, 
Jesse  D.  Davis. 
January  11,  1845.     The  following  were  received  into  the  church  on 
this  date: — 

Zebulon  Davis, 
Catharine  Maxson, 


132     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

Sarah  Davis^ 
Charlotta  Davis. 
March  30,  1845.     Deborah  F.  Randolph,  wife  of  Jepthah  F.  Ran- 
dolph, received  a  letter  to  join  some  other  church  of  the  same  faith 
and  order.     The  letter  was  not  used,  however. 

May  15,  1845.  The  name  of  Ingaby  Bee  appears  in  the  minutes 
of  a  business  meeting  held  on  this  date. 

August  9,  1845.  The  following  were  received  into  the  church  on 
this  date : — 

James  Hyatt, 
Theodore  Davis, 
Dorinda  DAvas. 
December  15,  1845.     The  following  is  a  list  of  members  received 
into  the  New  Salem  church  on  this  date,  at  a  meeting  held  on  Buckeye 
Run  :— 

Thomas  Ford, 
Margaret  Davis, 
Joel  Davis, 
Charles  G.  Davis, 
George  Ford, 
Richard  Ford, 
Ira  C.  Davis, 
Ehud  Davis, 
Emily  Ford, 
Emily  Davis, 
Polina  a.  Davis, 
Elisabeth  Ford, 
Elisabeth  Davis, 
Jane  Davis, 
Phoebe  Davis. 

baptized. 
June  24,  1843.     Mary  Ann  F.  Randolph,  Esther  F.  Randolph,  and 
Ezra  F.  Randolph  were  all  baptized  at  New  Salem. 

July  I,  1843.     Harriet,  wife  of  Isaac  F.  Randolph,  was  baptized. 
October    14,    1843.     Catharine,    wife    of    Gideon    Maxson;     Sally 
Hughes,  and  Jemima  Davis  were  all  baptized  by  Joshua  Hill,  at  New 
Salem. 

December  9,  1844.  Charles  G.  Davis,  Richard  Ford,  Elisabeth 
Randolph,  Mary  Randolph,  and  Elisabeth  Davis  were  all  baptized  by 
Richard  C.  Bond.  On  the  following  day  Emily  Davis  was  baptized 
also. 

December  14,  1844.  Phoebe  Davis,  Ira  Davis,  and  Ehud  Davis  were 
baptized  at  New  Salem  by  Richard  C.  Bond. 

December  15,  1844.  George  Ford,  Emily  Ford,  Elizabeth  F.  Davis, 
Joel  Davis,  Jane  Davis,  Polina  Davis  (daughter  of  William  B.  Davis), 
Charlotte  Davis  (daughter  of  Absolom  Davis),  were  all  baptized  on 
Buckeye  Run,  by  Richard  C.  Bond. 


THE  NEW  SALEM  CHURCH 


133 


December  22,  1844.  Zebulon  Davis  was  baptized  on  Greenbrier 
Run. 

December  29,  1844.  Lemuel  Davis  viras  baptized  on  Meat  House 
Fork. 

January  4,  1845.     Elisabeth  Sutton  was  baptized  at  New  Salem. 

January  4,  1845.  Annetta  Maxson  was  baptized  on  Greenbrier 
Run. 

January  25,  1845.  Stephen  Davis,  Neely  Jeffrey,  Isaiah  Bee,  and 
Rhoda  Davis  were  baptized  on  Middle  Island  Creek. 

February  2,  1845.  Theodore  Davis  and  Jesse  Davis  were  baptized 
at  New  Salem. 

DEATHS. 

"This  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  them  that  have  been 
removed  out  of  the  world  by  death: — 

"Brother  William   Davis   departed  this  life  at  White   Day,  July 

IS,  1791. 

"Our  dearly  beloved  brother  and  elder,  Jacob  Davis,  departed  this 
life,  July  the  17th,  1793. 

"Sister  Taysey  (Tacy)  Davis,  the  widow  of  William  Davis, 
departed  this  life,  the  ist  of  June  1795. 

"Brother  Ephraim  Maxson  departed  this  life,  September  10,  1795, 
at  Salem. 

"Sister  Experience  Maxson  departed  this  life,  October  the  20th, 

1795- 

"Brother  Joel  Davis,  the  son  of  William,  departed  this  life,  June 
I,  1798. 

"Our  aged  brother,  Simeon  Maxson,  departed  this  life,  February 
26,   1802,  at  Salem. 

"Benjamin  Thorp  departed  this  life,  April  15,  1804. 

"Brother  Nathan  Davis  departed  this  life  on — [date  wanting]. 

"Brother  Dudley  Hughes  departed  this  life,  May  the  14,  1820. 

"Sister  Amy  Davis  departed  this  life,  October  the  14,  1820. 

"Brother  Jesse  Davis,  departed  this  life,  December  22,  1824. 

"Brother  William  Davis,,  called  "Jarsey"  Billy,  departed  this 
life,   April   10,    1840. 

"Sister  Content,  consort  of  Joshua  G.  Davis,  departed  this  life, 
July  27,  1840. 

"Sister  Sally,  consort  of  Elder  Peter  Davis,  departed  this  life, 
January  10,  1842. 

"Sister  Mary  Josephine,  consort  of  Ziba  Davis,  departed  this  life, 
March  i,  1842. 

"Brother  Elder  John  Davis,  pastor  of  this  church,  departed  this 
life,  June  22,   1842. 

"Sister  Abigail,  consort  of  Jonathan  Hughes,  departed  this  life, 
July  I,  1842. 

"Sister  Jane,  consort  of  Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  departed  this  life, 
April  24,  1843. 


134 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


"Sister  Rachel,  consort  of  William  F.  Davis,  departed  this  life, 
May  21,  1843. 

"William  Davis,  known  as  "Greenbrier  Billy/'  departed  this 
life,  January  6,  1845. 

"Sister  Betsey,  consort  of  William  Davis  ["Greenbrier  Billy"], 
departed  this  life,  January  6,  1845. 


^l 


'^^ 


^^^f^f^^f^m 


ff^ 


VII. 


THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER  CHURCH. 


:i  (j^  c^  (j>r  cf^^^_ 
^i.[HM!Si(§jiMiSlKilll«jSI«J'S/a  ^C 


:!HE  records  of  this  church  have  long 


since  disappeared.  The  only  docu- 
mentary sources  of  information 
now  available  are  the  records  of 
the  New  Salem  Church;  a  single 
letter  addressed  to  the  General 
Conference  under  date  of  July  23, 
1808,  by  the  hand  of  Thomas 
Maxson,  clerk  of  the  church ;  and 
the  reply  of  the  General  Conference 
to  the  church. 

The  West  Fork  River  Church  was  located  at  or  near  the 
mouth  of  Lamberts  Run,  a  small  stream  which  flows  into  the 
West  Fork  of  the  Monongahela  River  from  the  west,  some  six 
or  eight  miles  north  of  Clarksburg,  and  but  a  short  distance 
south  of  the  junction  of  Ten  Mile  Creek  with  the  West  Fork 
of  the  Monongahela  River.  Here  there  settled  Thomas  Max- 
son,  a  prosperous  farmer  from  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey.  He 
rapidly  improved  his  farm,  built  a  brick  dwelling  house  with 
brick  out  buildings,  and  gathered  around  him  a  small  company, 
consisting  of  his  son  Timothy,  with  his  wife,  Anna ;  William 
Vanhorn,  and  his  wife,  Virginia,  and  perhaps  others. 

On  June  25,  1793,  these  settlers  presented  a  petition  to 
the  New  Salem  Church  to  send  delegates  to  attend  the  organi- 
sation of  a  church  on  the  West  Fork  of  the  Monongahela.  The 
petition  was  granted  and  Isaac  Morris  and  Ephraim  Maxson 
were  sent  as  such  delegates,  and  the  organisation  was  effected 
with  a  membership  of  five  souls. 

The  membership,   which  was  never   large,  had  in    i 


136    SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

increased  to  a  total  enrollment  of  sixteen,  since  tlie  organisa- 
tion of  the  church,  of  whom  one  had  been  excommunicated, 
two  dismissed  to  other  churches,  and  one  deceased,  leaving  an 
actual  membership  at  that  time  of  but  twelve.  Although  they 
then  had  hope  of  growth,  the  church  soon  went  into  a  decline 
and  gradually  became  extinct. 

On  May  11,  1794,  Rev.  Isaac  Morris  received  a  letter  of 
dismissal  from  the  New  Salem  Church  to  join  the  West  Fork 
River  Church,  and  on  December  14,  following,  the  New  Salem 
Church  received  a  request  from  the  West  Fork  River  Church 
for  assistance  to  excommunicate  Isaac  IMorris.  The  New 
Salem  Church  replied  by  letter,  directing  the  West  Fork  River 
Church  to  follow  the  gospel  rule  as  laid  down  in  their  articles 
of  faith  and  practise. 

Presumably,  however,  the  West  Fork  River  Church,  for 
some  unexplained  reason,  found  itself  unable  to  take  final 
action  without  further  advice  and  assistance,  for  on  September 
14,  1794,  there  was  a  special  business  meeting  of  the  New 
Salem  Church  to  consider  the  propriety  of  sending  delegates 
to  a  church  meeting  of  the  West  Fork  River  Church.  It  was 
decided  to  send  such  delegates,  and  three  were  appointed; 
viz.,  Rev.  John  Davis,  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  and  Simeon 
Maxson.  The  purpose  of  sending  these  delegates  to  the  church 
meeting  at  West  Fork  River,  is  not  specifically  stated,  but  it 
may  be  assumed  fairly,  that  it  related  to  the  matter  presented 
to  the  New  Salem  Church  by  the  West  Fork  River  Church, 
only  four  months  before. 

On  June  13,  1795,  the  New  Salem  Church  received  a 
request  from  the  West  Fork  River  Church  to  send  the  pastor 
of  the  New  Salem  Church  to  ordain  an  elder  and  deacon.  The 
New  Salem  Church  granted  the  request,  but  stipulated  that  the 
West  Fork  River  Church  should  secure  other  assistance,  pre- 
sumably from  the  Woodbridgetown  Church,  as  that  church, 
next  after  the  New  Salem  Church,  was  the  nearest  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  church. 

On  September  9,  1798,  James  IMaxson  received  a  letter  of 
dismissal  from  the  New  Salem  Church  to  join  the  West  Fork 
River  Church;  and  on  November  10,  1799,  Joseph  Davis,  Sr., 
was  granted  a  letter  of  dismissal  by  the  New  Salem  Church 
to  join  the  West  Fork  River  Church. 


THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER  CHURCH 


137 


On  February  14,  1802,  the  New  Salem  Church  voted  to 
ask  the  West  Fork  River  Church  to  send  Rev.  WilHam  Davis 
to  assist  in  ordaining  two  deacons,  and  if  he  were  not  available, 
to  ask  for  Deacon  Thomas  Maxson  of  that  church.  These 
deacons  were  ordained  on  April  10,  following,  by  Rev.  John 
Davis  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  Deacon  Thomas  Maxson 
of  the  West  Fork  River  Church. 

On  May  9,  1803,  after  having  debarred  Rev.  John  Patter- 
son and  his  wife,  Sarah,  from  communion  "for  joining  fellow- 
ship with  the  First  Day  Baptist  Church"  of  which  he  had 
assumed  charge,  the  New  Salem  Church  took  the  following 
significant  action: — 

"We  do  renounce  communion  with  all  Seventh  Day  [Baptist] 
Churches  that  do  give  toleration  and  full  fellowship  with  First  Day 
Churches,  and  we  appoint  James  Davis  and  Samuel  Davis  as 
messengers  to  the  West  Fork   [River]    Church." 

The  records  of  the  New  Salem  Church  contain  nothing 
further  concerning  the  West  Fork  River  Church,  and  all  fra- 
ternal intercourse  between  the  West  Fork  River  Church  and 
other  Seventh  Day  Baptists  appears  to  have  lapsed  until  in 
1808,  the  New  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  and  West  Fork  River 
churches  all  applied  for  membership  in  the  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist General  Conference  and  sent  Rev.  John  Davis  jointly,  as 
a  delegate  to  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference, 
held  in  September  of  that  year,  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island. 

The  applications  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek 
Churches  were  acted  upon  favourably,  but  that  of  the  West 
Fork  River  Church  was  denied  because  it  held  open  com- 
munion with  First  Day  Baptists. 

The  correspondence  is  as  follows : — 

"July  23d,  1808. 

"We,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  who  reside  on  the  West 
Fork  of  the  Monongahela  [River],  Harrison  County,  State  of  Vir- 
ginia, received  a  request  from  the  Eastern  Churches  to  obtain  the 
knowledge  of  the  number  of  [Seventh  Day]  Baptists  [here],  and 
further  to  join  in  a  Conference  with  them. 

"We  rejoice  to  learn  that  the  work  of  God  is  a-carrying  on 
amongst  you.  We  do  send  our  christian  salutation  to  all  our  brethren 
and  sisters  in  the  bonds  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  We  join  you  in 
your  motion.  If  we  can  be  accepted,  we  shall  acquaint  you  of  our 
faith  and  order. 


138     SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

"We  believe  in  the  doctrine  of  election,  of  the  final  perseverence 
of  the  saints,  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  eternal  judgment. 

"Further,  we  do  hold  a  full  fellowship  with  the  First  Day  Bap- 
tists, and  send  these  lines  as  children  to  our  father  in  the  gospel, 
looking  for  an  answer ;  as  in  the  multitude  of  counsel,  there  is  safety.^ 

"This  Church  was  constituted  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  1793,  of 
five  members.  At  the  present  time  [there  are]  twelve  members ;  one 
excommunicated ;  two  dismissed ;  one  deceased. 

"Religion  appears  to  be  [at  a]  low  ebb  at  present,  though  we 
have  hopes  of  an  addition  to  this  church. 

"So  we  bid  you  farewell.  Though  we  should  never  see  each 
others'  faces,  in  time  may  we  be  prepared  by  grace  to  meet  in  the 
world  above. 

"By  order  of  the  Church, 

"Thomas   Maxson,   Clerk." 

To  this  the  General  Conference  made  reply: — 

"To  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  residing  on  the  West  Fork 
of  the  Monongahela  River : — 

The  Elders,  Messengers,  and  Brethren,  composing  the  Sabbatarian 
General  Conference,  now  sitting  at  Hopkinton,  State  of  Rhode  Island, 
to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  on  the  West  Fork  of  the 
Monongahela  River,  Harrison  County,  State  of  Virginia,  Scndeth 
Greeting : — 

Dear  Brethren  :  We  feel  ourselves  under  the  greatest  obligation 
imaginable,  to  adore  and  praise  the  name  of  our  God,  for  his  unbounded 
love  and  goodness  manifested  to  a  sinful  world,  that  he  has  not  left  us 
to  perish  in  our  iniquities,  he  being  not  willing  that  any  should 
perish,  not  willing  that  the  numerous  posterity  of  Adam,  who  were 
made  sinners  by  his  transgressions,  and  who  were  not  active  in  that 
transgression,  should  thereby  inevitably  and  eternally  perish ;  therefore 
He  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost,  to  put  away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  who  through 
the  Eternal  Spirit,  offered  himself  without  spot  unto  God,  a  sacrifice 
of  a  sweet  smelling  savour,  acceptable  unto  the  father,  whereby  we 
are  redeemed  from  under  the  curse  of  the  law ;  so  that  we  are  no 
more  to  be  condemned  for  Adam's  transgressions,  for  as  by  the 
offence  of  one,  many  were  made  sinners,  even  so  by  the  righteousness 
of  one,  many  were  made  righteous ;  as  likewise  saith  the  Prophet, 
"this  proverb  shall  no  more  be  heard  in  Israel,  that  the  fathers  have 
eaten  sour  grapes  and  the  children's  teeth  are  set  on  edge,  but  the 
soul  that  sinneth,  shall  die," — thus  we  behold  the  loving  kindness  of 
the  Lord;  notwithstanding  we  were  all  included  under  sin,  yet  He  had 
mercy  upon  all. 

"But  behold,  the  goodness  of  God  did  not  stop  here,  for  Christ 


I.  Benedict  says  that  the  West  Fork  River  Church  admitted  First  Day 
Baptists  to  membership.  General  History  of  the  Baptist  Denomination  in 
America.     Benedict.     Boston    1813.     Vol.    II,    p.    421. 


THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER  CHURCH 


139 


came  into  the  world  not  only  to  make  an  atonement  for  sin,  but  He 
came  a  light  into  the  world,  to  lighten  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,  to  preach  the  Gospel  to  the  poor,  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted, 
to  preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recovering  of  sight  to  the 
blind;  to  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised;  to  preach  the  acceptable 
year  of  the  Lord ;  and  likewise  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God, 
wherein  He  will  pour  out  his  fury  upon  all  them  that  will  not  have 
this  man  to  reign  over  them — and  further.  He  has  burst  the  bars  of 
the  grave,  and  risen  a  victorious  conqueror  over  all  our  enemies,  and 
is  now  seated  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  making  intercession  for  us; 
and  has  laid  a  foundation  of  eternal  salvation,  and  has  left  exceeding 
great  and  precious  promises,  even  eternal  life,  for  all  that  believe  in 
and  obey  him — He  has  likewise  sent  the  Holy  Spirit  into  the  world, 
not  only  to  convince  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness,  and  of  judg- 
ment, but  likewise  to  lead  and  guide  us  into  all  truth,  even  into  the 
ways  of  Holiness ;  and  now  dearly  beloved,  may  not  these  contempla- 
tions stimulate  our  hearts  to  love  him  supremely,  above  all  other 
objects,  and  lead  us  to  true  and  swift  obedience  to  all  his  Holy 
requirements. 

"O,  dear  Brethren,  let  us  lift  up  our  heads  and  rejoice,  because 
we  know  that  our  Redeemer  liveth,  and  shall  be  alive  for  ever  more ;  we 
know  that  He  liveth  because  he  is  yet  inspiring  his  servants  to  lisp  forth 
the  sound  of  his  glorious  Gospel ;  we  know  that  He  liveth  because  He 
has  been  refreshing  our  souls  as  with  the  dews  of  heaven,  while  we 
have  been  sitting  down  together  in  our  present  annual  meeting — we 
rejoice,  dear  Brethren,  that  the  Lord  has  given  us  this  one  opportunity 
more  of  meeting  with  our  beloved  Brethren  from  foreign  lands,  to  sit 
down  together  to  commemorate  the  dying  love  of  a  Saviour ;  we  sit 
down  under  His  banner  with  great  delight,  and  His  fruit  is  sweet  to 
our  taste;  we  rejoice  that  the  Lord  has  put  into  the  heart  of  our 
beloved  brother,  John  Davis,  from  your  country,  and  has  enabled  him 
to  travel  seven  hundred  miles,  to  join  with  us  in  so  good  a  cause, 
whose  coming  was  to  us  like  the  coming  of  Titus,  and  we  pray  God  to 
return  him,  as  well  as  all  the  rest  of  our  brethren,  safe  in  His  own 
due  time,  and  we  hope  if  it  may  be  consistent  with  the  will  of  God, 
that  the  coming  of  some  of  you  may  in  a  future  time,  give  us  the  like 
cause  to  rejoice. 

"We  rejoice  that  the  Lord  is  building  up  His  churches  in  the 
western  country,  that  the  desert  is  blossoming  like  the  rose,  etc.  We 
rejoiced  at  the  reception  of  a  brotherly  letter  from  you,  wherein  we 
find  an  account  of  the  rise,  and  the  present  number  of  your  church, 
together  with  a  short  account  of  your  faith  and  order ;  you  say  you 
hold  the  doctrines  of  election,  and  final  perseverance  of  Saints,  which 
doctrines  we  also  hold ;  that  is,  we  hold  that  all  those  saints  who 
finally  persevere,  will  compose  God's  elect,  so  perhaps  we  should  not 
wrangle  much  about  that,  although  we  have  known  of  some  who  hold 
that  God  has  from  eternity  unconditionally  elected  a  part  of  Adam's 
race  for  glory,  and  that  He  has  unconditionally  and  eternally  repro- 


140     SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS   IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

bated  all  the  rest  to  misery;  and  tell  the  people  'they  must  do,  and  they 
cannot  do,  that  they  must  go  to  God  for  salvation,  and  they  cannot,  etc., 
but  these  things  being  contradictions  in  term,  and  therefore  mere 
nonsense,  we  pass  it  by,  and  hope  better  things  of  you. 

"But  further,  you  inform  us  that  you  hold  a  full  communion  with 
the  First  Day  Baptists.  Dear  Brethren,  we  do  not  blame  you  for  loving 
christians  of  any  denomination,  for  we  find  it  more  than  we  can  do  to 
avoid  it,  nay,  we  do  not  wish  to  avoid  it,  would  to  God  we  could  love 
them  even  out  of  that  error,  for  we  find  many  sweet  and  comfortable 
hours  in  joining  with  our  First  Day  brethren,  in  the  worship  of  our 
God;  yet,  for  the  sake  of  good  order  and  discipline  in  God's  house,  we 
think  it  necessary  to  take  up  the  cross  in  that  one  point,  that  is,  to 
withhold  our  external  fellowship,  in  token  that  we  do  not  fellowship 
that  error. 

"Now  we  know  that  the  sweetest  part  of  religion  is  the  internal 
work  of  grace  and  the  love  of  God,  shed  abroad  in  the  heart,  which 
is  the  essence  of  charity.  Now,  all  this.  Brethren,  we  wish  you  to 
maintain  with  your  First  Day  brethren,  as  saith  the  apostle,  above  all 
things  put  on  fervent  charity,  which  is  the  bond  of  perfectness;  this 
we  say  is  the  sweetest  part  of  religious  fellowship,  yet  for  the  well 
ordering  of  God's  house,  He  has  seen  fit  to  appoint  external  rules  and 
ordinances ;  and  it  is  in  these  alone  that  we  wish  you  to  withhold  your 
communion,  and  that  from  no  other  motive  but  that  of  love.  We  think 
that  you  would  readily  grant  that  to  come  round  the  table  of  the  Lord, 
to  cat  the  bread  and  drink  the  wine,  without  the  love  of  God  in  the 
heart,  would  be  but  a  dry  rnorsel.  And  do  you  think  they  can  reason- 
ably be  grieved  with  you  when  that  outward  part  is  all  you  withhold 
from  them?  So  likewise  we  hope  you  will  not  be  grieved  with  us, 
while  we  inform  you  that  your  liberty  herein  has  exceeded  the  bounds 
of  our  external  fellowship,  although  we  love  you  still,  hoping  that  you 
will  upon  further  consideration  discover  the  impropriety  of  that 
liberty  and  retract  therefrom,  upon  which  we  know  not  but  you  will 
stand  in  full  fellowship  with  this  Conference,  if  it  should  be  your  desire. 

"But  we  consider  it  not  consistent  to  be  in  full  fellowship  with 
those  out  of  the  church,  whose  practise  is  such  as  we  could  not  receive 
into  the  church,  and  if  we  receive  First  Day  members  into  the  church, 
and  allow  them  the  liberty  of  working  on  the  Seventh  Day,  it  would 
not  be  a  consistent  chain  of  discipline  to  deal  with  others  for  taking 
the  same  liberty;  and  if  we  cease  to  deal  with  members  for  the  non- 
observance  of  that  solemn,  delightful,  and  necessary  command  of  God, 
it  would  soon  become  a  matter  of  indifference  in  the  eyes  of  posterity; 
who  would  naturally  act  as  worldly  interest  and  temporal  convenience 
should  dictate,  so  that  it  is  beyond  a  doubt  if  such  a  practise  was  uni- 
versally adopted,  that  in  a  short  time  the  observation  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Sabbath,  would  be  nearly  or  totally  extinct;  that  this  would  be 
the  case  is  evident  not  only  from  the  nature  of  things,  but  likewise 
from  all   the  instances  of   the  kind  which  has   happened    within    the 


THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER  CHURCH  141 

circle  of  our  acquaintance.  So  we  hope  you  will  see  the  propriety  of 
our  conduct  and  put  on  charity  for  us. 

"So  dear  Brethren,  we  commend  you  to  God  and  the  world  of  his 
grace,  which  is  able  to  build  you  up  and  give  you  an  inheritance  among 
them  that  are  sanctified.     Amen. 

"September  nth,  1808." 

The  Conference  minutes  of  the  following  year  state  that 
no  report  was  received  from  the  West  Fork  River  Church,  and 
nothing  appears  from  it  afterwards.^ 

So  far  as  the  present  writer  has  been  able  to  ascertain, 
the  West  Fork  River  Church  is  the  only  one  of  this  group 
of  churches  in  which  the  doctrine  of  open,  or  free,  com- 
munion ever  obtained  a  footing  firm  enough  to  menace  its 
integrity. 

The  West  Fork  River  Church,  doubtless,  carried  its  prac- 
tise of  open  communion  to  a  much  greater  length  than  merely 
admitting  their  First  Day  friends  to  the  communion  service 
and  inviting  them  to  participate  in  the  Lord's  Supper.  This, 
undoubtedly,  opened  the  way  to  a  much  closer  affiliation  with 
members  of  non-Sabbath-keeping  churches. 

It  is  somewhat  doubtful,  however,  if  Benedict's  statement 
(see  note  on  p.  138)  to  the  effect  that  First  Day  Baptists  were 
admitted  to  membership,  is  correct ;  as  the  source  of  his 
information,  probably,  was  the  foregoing  correspondence, 
published  at  that  time  in  the  minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist General  Conference. 

The  Shrewsbury  Chtirch  at  one  time  censured  one  of  its 
members  for  partaking  of  the  communion  with  the  Church 
of  England,  but  that  offence  appears  to  have  been   sporadic. 

After  the  removal  of  the  church  to  western  Virginia, 
however,  the  only  trouble  over  the  communion  in  that  church 
arose  from  the  position  taken  by  the  pastor,  Rev.  Peter  Davis, 
to  the  effect  that  the  Lord's  Supper  was  akin  to  the  Mosaic 
Ceremonial  Law,  and  had  been  fulfilled  and  passed  away. 
Few,  if  any,  of  the  members  of  the  church  sympathised  with 
his  views,  however,  and  the  equipoise  of  the  church  was  in  no 
wise  disturbed. 

The  West  Fork  River  Church  now  rapidly  declined,  and 


I.    The  author  is  under  obligations  to  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  of  Jane  I,ew,  West 
Virginia,  for  much  of  his  information  concerning  this  article. 


142    SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

ill  a  short  time  those  who  had  not  left  the  Sabbath,  had  become 
members  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

A  PARTIAL  LIST  OF  MEMBERS  OF  THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER  CHURCH. 

Thomas  Maxson,  Deacon  and  Church  Clerk, 

Timothy  Maxson,  son  of  Thomas, 

Anna  Maxson^  wife  of  Timothy, 

William  Vanhorn; 

Virginia  Vanhorn,  wife  of  William, 

Isaac  Morris,  Elder, 

James  Maxson, 

Joseph    Davis,   Sr., 

William  Davis,  Elder. 


VIII. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH. 


S^^^/^?&^^S^^^E    original    records    of    the    Lost 
■  *  <J^'^^?^f^*^^  -^     Creek    Church,    which   was   organ- 
ised  October   27,    1805,     have    all 
disappeared.    On  the  9th  of  March, 
1855,  William  F.  Randolph,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  was 
instructed,  by  order  of  the  church, 
to  make  an  abridged  transcript  of 
the  records  as  they  existed  at  that 
time.     This  transcript  is  the  oldest 
record  now  in  possession  of  the  church.     On  the  title  page  of 
the     book     contaming     the     transcript,     is     the     following 
inscription : — 

"Summary  transcript  of  the  original  record  of  the  institution  and 
proceedings  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Lost  Creek, 
Harrison  County,  Virginia.     Written  1857." 

This  book  contains,  as  a  sort  of  preface,  four  pages  of 
explanatory  remarks  by  the  transcriber,  reciting  the  history  of 
his  work  and  the  manner  in  which  he  did  it.  It  runs  as 
follows : — 

"The  following  is  an  abridged  transcript  of  the  rise  and  tran- 
sactions of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Lost  Creek,  Harrison 
County,  Virginia,  inscribed  in  compliance  with  an  order  of  the  church, 
passed  March  9,  1855. 

"The  writer  here  would  say  that  it  was  with  a  considerable  degree 
of  reluctance  that  he  engaged  in  the  work,  under  various 
considerations ; 

"First.  Because  he  is  aware  that  there  is  a  liability,  even  with 
much  faithfulness  and  care,  in  condensing  writings,  of  not  giving  every 
feature  contained  in  the  original  in  its  clear  light. 

"Secondly.     Because  the  proper  execution  of  such  a  work  neces- 


144    SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

sarily  required  more  time,  labour,  and  attention,  than  could  be  given 
at  one  period  by  the  writer,  pressed  as  he  is  almost  continually  under 
a  multiplicity  of  cares  at  home  and  abroad. 

"Thirdly.  On  account  of  inability  to  do  the  work  in  a  fair  legible 
manner,  because  of  a  disabled  hand. 

"These  embarrassments  combined  have  made  the  work  far  more 
burdensome  and  tedious  than  it  might  have  been  under  favourable 
circumstances.  But,  yet,  however,  notwithstanding  these  impediments, 
the  need  of  the  work,  and  the  call  of  the  brethren  for  me  to  engage  in 
it  has  made  the  task  rather  a  pleasant  duty,  whenever  opportunity  was 
found  to  engage  in  it,  though  but  a  few  hours  at  a  time. 

"The  writing  was  commenced,  and  the  most  of  it  done,  in  the  win- 
ter of  1855  and  1856,  but  not  finished  until  February,  1857. 

"The  Articles  of  Faith,  Covenant,  and  Duty,  found  on  pages  2  to 
8  partly  inclusive,  are  copied  entire.  The  small  amount  of  other  matter 
on  pages  2  and  8  is  also  given  about  in  full.  The  abridgment  begins 
with  page  9. 

"The  original  record  shows  that  the  business  meetings  were  almost 
uniformly  opened  and  closed  with  prayer,  frequently  accompanied  with 
reading  or  singing,  sometimes  both.  They  show  also  that  a  moderator 
was  frequently  appointed  at  church  meetings.  These  parts  of  the 
record  are  altogether  omitted  in  this  edition,  j^et  the  writer  has  endeav- 
oured to  notice  every  meeting  mentioned  in  the  original,  giving 
distinctly  the  nature  and  extent  of  business  done  at  each. 

"Names  of  members  are  given,  commencing  with  page  72,  show- 
ing the  time  of  reception,  baptism,  etc.,  as  far  as  the  original  record 
shows,  or  [as]  such  matters  otherwise  come  to  my  knowledge.  Con- 
siderable, however,  is  wanting  to  make  this  information  full,  the  old 
writings  being  somewhat  short  in  this  respect. 

"On  page  115,  a  list  is  started  giving  the  time  of  decease  of  mem- 
bers as  far  as  found  in  the  old  book,  with  some  others  collected.  This 
list,  I  think,  should  be  filled  out  without  delay  as  far  as  practicable. 

"An  alphabetical  index  will  be  found  in  the  fore  part  of  the  book, 
giving  names  of  members,  with  other  persons,  and  subjects  of  matter 
contained  in  the  book  (though  this  index,  with  the  arrangement  of 
references  to  pages  connected,  has  taken  considerable  time  and  care, 
and  perhaps  there  may  yet  be  room  for  improvement)  [which]  may 
prove  to  be  beneficial,  not  only  in  saving  time  by  readily  pointing  to 
subjects  and  matter,  but  also  by  saving  the  book  from  that  wear  and 
defacement  which  is  the  consequent  result  of  much  handling  the  leaves 
of  any  volume. 

"Commencing  with  page  9,  running  forward  over  part  of  the  30th 
page,  will  be  found  the  substance  of  the  business  matter  recorded  in 
the  old  book,  covering  the  time  from  June,  1806,  to  March,  1844.  That 
part  from  page  30  to  page  38  never  having  been  embodied  in  a  book 
has  come  into  my  hands  at  a  distance  from  the  church,  at  various 
periods,  on  loose  memorandum  papers. 

(9) 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


145 


"Here  it  may  be  well  to  remark  that,  although  much  care  and 
pains  have  been  taken  to  make  this  a  faithful,  clear,  condensed  copy, 
and  I  feel  to  hope  it  is  very  near  if  not  entirely  so,  yet  as  I  have  worked 
alone,  which  is  rather  an  ill-convenient  way  of  compiling  writings,  and 
far  from  being  the  readiest  way  of  detecting  errors,  it  may  therefore 
be,  upon  examination  with  help,  that  matter  may  be  found  lacking, 
or  out  of  place. 

"This  would  seem  probable,  not  only  on  account  of  the  crowded 
and  frequently  interrupted  circumstances  under  which  the  work  has 
been  executed,  but  more  particularly,  because  of  the  detached  names, 
that  the  embodied  part  of  the  original  record  is  found  in  the  old  book, 
but  few  leaves  in  that  being  paged,  and  much  of  the  matter  standing 
scattered  in  irregular,  interspersed  parcels  through  the  book. 

"I  would  suggest,  therefore,  that  the  church  either  examine  the 
work  as  a  body,  or  appoint  two  or  more  members  to  compare  this 
summary  with  the  original  record  and  papers,  and  report  to  the  church 
at  some  future  time  before  the  new  copy  is  received  [i.  e.,  accepted]. 
Such  an  examination  seems  necessary,  not  only  because  errors  or 
omissions,  if  any,  may  thereby  be  detected  and  the  copy  thus  perfected; 
but  also  because  if  such  steps  are  not  taken,  heavy  and  undesirable 
responsibilities  must  rest  upon  your  humble  compiler,  who  has  done 
the  work  unaided  under  unfavourable  circumstances,  but  with  little 
suitable  opportunity  to  look  over  it.  I  hope,  therefore,  that  these 
measures  will  be  carried  out  by  the  church. 

"Some  23  pages  are  used  as  an  index ;  other  matter  now  written 
occupies  about  50  pages,  giving  the  Articles,  the  Rise  and  Doings  of  the 
church  for  more  than  fifty  years,  leaving,  I  believe,  rather  more  than 
half  of  the  book  yet  blank ;  which,  with  proper  handling,  may  serve  as 
record  paper  yet  for  many  years  to  come. 

"With  these  remarks  I  submit  the  book  to  the  brethren,  at  whose 
call  the  work  has  been  done,  concluding  by  mentioning  the  propriety 
of  properly  entering  and  preserving  future  records.  The  saying  that 
'What  is  worth  doing  at  all,  is  worth  doing  well'  is  probably  true,  and 
will  apply  to  putting  down  and  keeping  records  as  well  as  other  matters 
of  business. 

"From  the  little  experience  I  have  had  in  looking  over  old  manu- 
scripts, I  find  that  ill-convenience  is  often  given  from  poor  ink  having 
been  used,  as  well  as  from  [the]  imperfect  handling  and  preserving 
[of]   record  books  and  papers. 

"I  would  suggest  the  propriety,  therefore,  of  the  church  instructing 
her  clerk  not  to  attempt  to  spread  business  matter  upon  the  regular 
record  book  at  the  time  of  transacting  it;  but  then  on  a  memorandum 
paper  or  book,  and  shorly  afterwards,  at  his  own  convenience,  always 
using  good  ink,  in  a  short  but  explicit  manner,  enter  it  in  the  regular 
book,  reading  it  at  the  next  meeting  for  approval. 

"This  course,  properly  pursued,  may  prove  to  be  an  advantage  to 
-those  who  may  follow  after,  if  not  to  the  present  acting  brethren. 

"Wm.  F.  Randolph." 


146    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 

The  records  proper  of  the  church  as  transcribed,  begin  as 
follows : — 

"Harrison  County,  State  of  Virginia,  October  27,  1805,  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Society  on  Lost  Creek  was  formed  into  a  church, 
comprising  the  following  members : — 

"Richard  Bond,  Sr., 

"Richard  Bond,  Jr., 

"William  VanHorn,  Jr., 

"Cornelius  Williams, 

"George  Davis, 

"MosES  Huffman, 

"Mary  Bond, 
.-  "Mary  Bond, 

"Marvel  Davis, 

"Amy  Davis. 
"These  were  the  constituent  members.     Within  the  next  six  weeks 
the   following  additional  members  joined  the   church: — 

"Abel  Bond,  Sr., 

"Mary  Dunaway^ 

"William  VanHorn,  Sr., 

"John   Dunaway, 

"Sarah  VanHorn,   (wife  of  William,  Sr.), 

"Sarah  VanHorn,  (wife  of  William,  Jr.), 

"Elisabeth  Huffman. 
"Cornelius   Williams   was  chosen   Ruling  Elder;   Abel   Bond,   Sr., 
Deacon,   and   Moses   Huffman,   Clerk. 

"The  Church  Covenant  was  as  follows : — 

"The  Church  of  Christ  on  Lost  Creek,  in  the  observance  of  God's 
Holy  Sanctified  Seventh  Day-Sabbath,  first  agreed  to:  We,  who  desire 
to  walk  together  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  do,  through  the  assistance  of 
His  Holy  Spirit,  profess  our  deep  and  serious  humiliation  for  our 
transgressions.  And  we  do  also  solemnly,  in  the  presence  of  God  and 
each  other,  in  the  sense  of  our  unworthiness,  give  up  ourselves  to  the 
Lord." 

The  Articles  of  Faith  were  twenty-two  in  number.  These, 
in  turn,  were  followed  by  "Short  Articles,  proper  to  be  read  to 
persons  when  received  into  this  Church,  and  to  be  consented  to, 
and  confessed,  by  the  persons  so  received." 

These  "Short  Articles"  consisted  of  six  interrogations, 
concerning  personal  duty  to  God,  four  statements  of  duty  as 
to  church  members  in  relation  to  the  church,  six  statements  of 
duty  in  relation  to  brethren  as  church  members,  and  five 
statements  of  private  duty. 

The  Lost  Creek  Church  was  formed    of    a    group    of 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


147 


Seventh  Day  Baptists  who  settled  on  Lost  Creek,  and  the 
neighbouring  streams  of  Hackers  Creek  and  Elk  Creek,  early 
in  the  nineteenth  century. 

In  the  early  part  of  its  history,  the  church  was  made  up, 
for  the  most  part,  of  the  Bonds,  who  had  come  from  Cecil 
County,  Maryland,  and  the  VanHorns,  Williamses,  and  others, 
who  had  embraced  the  Sabbath  in  the  south-western  part  of 
Pennsylvania,  through  the  influence  of  the  Woodbridgetown 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church.  These  were  joined  by  other 
families  from  time  to  time,  from  New  Salem,  and  from  Wood- 
bridgetown, as  well  as  from  points  in  Maryland  and  New 
Jersey.  Among  these  were  the  Huffmans,  Loofboros, 
Forsythes,  etc. 

In  July,  1806,  the  church  decided  to  build  a  meeting 
house,  but  the  exact  location  was  not  determined  upon  until 
November  29,  1807.  The  building  appears  to  have  been 
completed  in  December,  1809. 

At  the  session  of  the  General  Conference  held  with  the 
church  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island,  in  September,  1808,  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  together  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  was 
admitted  to  membership  in  that  body.  Both  churches  were 
represented  by  Rev.  John  Davis,  who  was  in  attendance  upon 
Conference  that  year. 

Three  years  afterward,  the  church  addressed  the 
following  letter  to  the  General  Conference : — 

"Lost  Creek  Church,  Harrison  County,  State  of  Virginia, 

July  the  6th,   1811. 
"Dearly  beloved  Brethren  in  Christ  : — 

"We  send  you  our  Christian  salutation  in  the  Lord.  Grace,  peace, 
and  mercy,  from  God  the  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  unto 
j-ou  all  who  look  and  long  for  His  appearing  the  second  time,  without 
sin,  unto  salvation. 

"Dear  Brethren  :  We  thank  you  for  your  good  will  and  brotherly 
love  in  sending  us  the  letters  of  your  Conference,  and  [we]  greatly 
desire  to  keep  up  a  correspondence  with  you  by  letter,  if  no  more. 

"Elder  John  Davis  says  that  he  would  have  been  with  you  this 
fall,  if  he  had  not  to  move  to  the  Ohio  State. 

"You  ask  the  reason  why  his  name  was  not  in  our  letter  to  Cohan- 
sey.  We  can  render  no  reason,  only  neglect,  at  this  time ;  for  we 
thought  it  was  [in  the  letter].  He  expects  to  move  to  the  Ohio  State 
to  join  and  take  the  care  of  a  church  of  about  18  members  there,  this 
fall. 


148    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

"Dear  Brethren  :  We  have  received  six  members,  and  excom- 
municated two,  since  our  last  letter  to  you.  Our  number  at  present  is 
thirty-one. 

"May  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  and  for  Christ's  sake,  increase  our 
faith  and  number,  and  bless  you  with  all  spiritual  blessings  in  heavenly 
places ;  and  finally  accept  of  you  and  us  in  the  Beloved,  is  the  prayer 
of  your  brothers  and  sisters  in  the  Lord. 

"John  Davis,  Elder, 

"Cornelius  Williams,  Ruling  Elder, 

"Abel  Bond,  Deacon, 

"Moses   Huffman,   Clerk. 

"N.  B.  We  beg  you  would  overlook  our  weakness  and  bad  writ- 
ing, and  pray  for  us  that  the  word  of  the  Lord  may  have  free  course, 
and  be  glorified,  even  as  it  is  with  you,  and  that  we  may  be  delivered 
from  unreasonable  and  wicked  men — for  all  men  have  not  faith — and 
the  Lord  direct  your  hearts  into  the  love  of  God,  and  into  the  patient 
waiting  for  Christ.     AMEN. 

"M.  H. 

"To  the  Conference  at  Rhode  Island.     [In  care  of] 

"Mr.'s  John  Davis,  Elder,  or  Jacob  West, 
"Cohan SEV,  West  New  Jersey. 
"To  be  left  at  Bridge  Town  Post  Office'' 

The  church  addressed  the  General  Conference  again  in 
1 818,  as  follows: — 

"Lost  Creek,  1818. 
"Esteemed  Brethren  : — 

"Having  taken  a  deliberate  view  of  the  subject  of  the  Missionary 
Society  as  proposed  by  a  circular  letter,  communicated  through  the 
medium  of  Brother  Manning  Dunn,  we  most  cordially  acquiesce  in  the 
utility  of  the  measure,  conceiving  the  sole  object  to  be  no  other  than  to 
supply  those  that  are  destitute  of  the  Gospel,  and  to  promote  the  cause 
of  true  religion;  and  earnestly  hope,  if  adopted,  that  we  shall  shortly 
experience  something  of  the  cordial  efforts,  resulting  from  so 
benevolent  an  institution. 

"From  a  conception  that  our  situation  calls  loud  for  your  earliest 
attention,  as  being  situated  in  a  very  remote  part,  and  destitute  of 
such  teachers  as  can  be  profitable  or  received,  we  do  most  fervently 
wish  you,  in  your  wisdom,  may  select  and  send  forth  to  our  relief  a 
teacher  whose  superiour  ability,  external  deportment,  and  innate  virtues, 
are  such  as  will  secure  confidence,  and  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God,  our 
Saviour.  Let  him  be  furnished  with  such  a  recommendation  in  addi- 
tion, as  will  remove  every  doubt  of  his  being  an  impostor,  as  we  have 
been  much  imposed  on  by  men  of  that  description,  which  hath  brought 
reproach  on  the  Sabbatarian  societies  in  this  quarter.  Let  his  system 
embrace  a  belief  that  he  hath  been  called  to  preach  to  sinners,  for  such 
we   are.     And   being   useless   to   multiply  words,  we,   nearly  as   sheep 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


149 


without  a  shepherd,  submit  our  case  to  your  better  judgment,  to  do 
for  us  as  may  seem  meet  in  your  eyes. 

"And  now,  dear  Brethren,  we  submit  you  to  God,  who  is  able  to 
build  you  up,  and  give  you  an  inheritance  among  them  that  are 
sanctified;  that  we,  with  you  all,  may  experience  an  unmeasurable  flow 
of  divine  love,  is  the  earnest  prayer  of  your  brethren  and  sisters  whose 
names  are  hereunto  annexed. 


"William  VanHorn, 
"Thomas  VanHorn, 
"John  Forsythe,  Clerk, 
"William  Williams, 
"Jacob  Davis, 
"Sarah   VanHorn,   Sr., 
"Sarah  Forsythe, 
"Sarah  Davis, 
"Sarah  VanHorn,  Jr., 
"Sarah  VanHorn,  Ye  30, 
"Lois  VanHorn, 
"Zurah  Kennedy, 
"Prudence  Bond, 
"Thomas  Bond, 
"Amelia  Bond, 
"Sarah  Bond, 


Elisabeth  Huffman, 
Sarah    Davis, 
j.   w.   loofboro, 
Mary  Loofboro, 
D.  W.  Loofboro, 
Richard  Bond,  Sr., 
Mary  Bond, 
Abel  Bond,  Jr., 
Sarah  Bond, 
Richard  Bond,  Jr., 
Mary  Bond, 
Richard  Bond,  Minor, 
Margaret  Bond, 
Eli  Bond, 
Reuben  Bond, 
James  Kennedy. 


"Brethren  :  Let  the  following  insertion  be  a  sufficient  apology 
for  the  subscribers'  names  all  appearing  in  the  same  handwriting, — 
this  being  a  copy  of  the  original,  which  was  sent  to  me  this  day,  with 
a  request  that  I  should  copy  and  direct  to  whomsoever  I  might  think 
proper,  lest  the  original  should  miscarry,  and  this  possibly  might 
arrive  safe. 

"Abel  Bond,  Sr., 
"Elisabeth    Bond. 

"Clarksburg,  Harrison  County,  Virginia. 

"July  ye  12th,  1818. 

"The  above-signed  (with  only  one  exception)  are  heads  of  fam- 
ilies, and  a  considerable  number  more  of  a  similar  sentiment  reside 
within  the  vicinity  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  that  had  not  an  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  this  letter;  all  of  whom  have  rising  families  of  the 
Seventh-day  order. 

"Although  we  are  not  in  opulent  circumstances,  yet  we  feel  will- 
ing to  contribute  something  toward  the  support  of  a  teacher,  who,  in 
addition  to  the  foregoing  requisite  qualifications,  can  stand  forth  bold 
as  a  lion  in  support  of  the  Fourth  Commandment,  as  there  is  uncom- 
mon pains  taken  by  some  teachers  of  different  orders  to  inform  a 
belief  that  it  is  by  no  means  binding,  and  exert  every  faculty  to 
obliterate,  if  possible,  the  observance  of  that  most  prominent  com- 
mand, which,  indeed  hath  led  some  of  our  youths  to  query,  whether 
or  no  we  were  not  in  an  error. 


150 


SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 


"Dear  Brethren  :  How  are  such  teachers  to  account  for  their 
conduct  at  the  great  and  decisive  day  of  Acc'ts?  But  we  must  leave 
them  to  see  to  that. 

"While  we  most  earnestly  desire  an  interest  in  your  most  fervent 
petitions  that  we  may  be  enabled,  through  divine  grace,  to  trace  the 
remaining  steps  of  our  days  in  stabili_ty  and  firmness,  that  we,  with 
you  all,  may  be  found  included  in  the  happified  number  at  the  last, 
that  shall  receive  the  approbatory  sentence  of  'Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servants,  enter  ye  into  the  joy  of  your  Lord,'  is  the  earnest 
prayer  of  your  affectionate  brethren  and  sisters.  ADIEU. 
"Abel  Bond. 

"In  behalf  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 
"Addressed 

"To  the  Elders  and  Messengers  composing  the  Sabbatarian  Gen- 
eral Conference  to  be  held  in  East  Jersey. 

"To  be  left  in  the  Post  OMce  at  Brunswick. 

"To  the  immediate  care  of  the  Rev.  Manning  Dunn. 

"Clarksburg,  Va.,  July  26." 

Rev.  John  Davis  was  pastor,  not  only  of  the  New  Salem 
Church,  but  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  as  well. 

In  November,  1810,  Moses  Huffman  and  Cornelius  Wil- 
liams were  called  to  improve  their  gift  of  exhortation  and 
preaching  in  the  society  at  their  own  convenience,  and  a  year 
afterward,  Hamilton  Goss  was  invited  to  preach  for  the 
chinxh  once  a  month. 

Early  in  181 1,  the  meeting  house  was  burnt  down  by 
accident,  and  the  church  decided  to  build  again ;  this  time  on 
the  land  of  William  VanHorn,  who  agreed  to  make  the  church 
a  deed  for  a  lot  of  one  acre. 

In  181 5,  some  trouble  arose  between  Rev.  John  Davis  on 
the  one  hand,  and  various  members  of  the  church  on  the  other. 
This  continued  to  agitate  the  church  at  irregular  intervals  for 
a  period  of  some  fifteen  years,  and  at  times  it  interfered 
materially  with  its  spiritual  welfare.  Indeed,  the  trouble  was 
far  reaching,  and  extended  not  only  to  the  uttermost  bounds 
of  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  but  to  the  j\Iad 
River  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  in  Ohio,  where  Rev.  John 
Davis  had  spent  some  time,  after  which  he  had  returned  to 
Virginia.  The  exact  nature  of  the  charges  against  him  are 
not  wholly  clear  from  the  records,  but  they  were  of  such  a 
nature  that  his  personal  character  was  impeached.  Apparently, 
however,  he  succeeded  in  clearing  himself  of  the  charges  in  a 
satisfactory  manner. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  151 

As  early  as  in  September,  1815,  a  question  arose  about 
free  communion  with  the  First  Day  Baptists.  Two  years 
afterward,  the  question  came  to  the  fore-ground  again,  but  at 
neither  time  did  the  church  take  action  favouring  free 
communion. 

Early  in  the  year,  1821,  a  controversy  waged  over  Calvin- 
ism, a  question  which  divided  the  church  into  two  opposing 
factions.  The  controversy  continued  until  a  business  meeting 
of  the  church  held  April  29,  following,  which  was  attended 
by  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Deacon  John  Bright,  both  of  the 
Cohansey  (Shiloh),  New  Jersey,  Church.  These  two  brethren 
were  requested  by  the  church  to  take  the  question  in  contro- 
versy under  consideration,  and  advise  the  church  what  course 
to  pursue. 

They  decided  upon  new  articles  of  faith,  which  they  sub- 
mitted to  the  church  on  December  2,  following.  The  report 
was  acceptable  to  all,  and  on  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  the 
new  articles  of  faith  were  adopted  and  signed  by  the  members 
of  the  church. 

In  October,  1819,  William  Williams  was  called,  along 
with  Abel  Bond,  to  improve  his  gifts  in  the  church,  at  his 
convenience,  in  exhorting  or  preaching.  Williams  soon  dis- 
pleased some  of  the  church,  and  in  the  following  April,  the 
church  considered  the  advisability  of  revoking  his  licence,  but 
it  was  finally  decided  to  allow  it  to  stand  for  the  remainder  of 
the  year  for  which  it  was  originally  granted.  At  the  end  of 
the  year  the  church  refused  to  renew  the  licence,  but  finally 
rescinded  its  adverse  action. 

William  Williams  continued  to  preach  with  more  or  less 
regularity,  until  in  March,  1830,  when  a  question  arose  as  to 
whether  he  should  be  ordained,  or  continue  to  preach  as  a 
licentiate. 

After  careful  consideration  of  the  question,  the  church 
declined  to  ordain  him,  but  instructed  the  clerk  of  the  church 
to  send  him  a  formal  licence  to  preach.  Again  in  January, 
183 1,  the  church  decided  by  a  vote  of  twenty-five  to  thirteen, 
not  to  call  Williams  to  ordination. 

Williams  now  became  an  issue,  and  that  ciuestion  together 
with  others  soon  created  a  division  in  the  church.  A  small 
minority,  in  face  of  the  strong  opposition  of  the  rest  of  the 


152 


SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN   WEST    VIRGINIA 


church,  vigorously  advocated  a  change  in  the  poHty  of  the 
church,  so  that  on  June  20,  1831,  "after  mature  dehberation, 
for  the  sake  of  harmony  and  to  obviate  a  difficulty  under  which 
we  have  long  laboured,  and  for  other  reasons,  a  large  majority 
submitted  to  the  requisition  of  the  minority,  and  granted  their 
request." 

This  concession  did  not  avail,  however,  and  the  minority 
under  the  leadership  of  Williams  seceded  from  the  church, 
seized  the  meeting  house,  and  organised  the  Second  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Church  of  Lost  Creek. 

The  new  church  at  once  ordained  Williams,  and  in 
September,  1834,  applied  for  admission  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, at  the  session  of  the  Conference  held  at  DeRuyter, 
New  York. 

The  General  Conference  acted  upon  the  application  by 
referring  it  to  a  committee,  which  made  the  following 
report : — 

"Respecting  the  request  of  the  2d  S[eventh]  D[ay]  B[aptist] 
Church  on  Lost  Creek,  we  would  respectfully  suggest,  that,  agreeably 
to  a  resolution  of  the  General  Conference,  which  requires  of  any 
church,  wishing  to  become  a  member  of  this  Conference,  [that]  they  for- 
ward to  the  Conference  a  copy  of  the  articles  of  faith,  upon  which 
said  church  is  constituted,  it  would  not  be  expedient  to  grant  this 
request,  at  this  time,  as  the  above  condition  has  not  been  complied 
with ;  but  that  the  brethren  who  may  be  appointed  to  visit  the  church, 
in  New  Salem,  visit  these  brethren  also,  investigate  the  circumstances 
of  their  organisation,  and  ordination  of  brother  Williams,  and  act  in 
behalf  of  this  General  Conference,  as  in  their  wisdom  they  may  deem 
expedient;  and  that  a  letter  be  written  to  them  apprising  them 
thereof." 

At  the  next  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference, 
held  with  the  church  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island,  in 
September,  1835,  the  report  of  this  committee  appears  in  the 
following  record: — 

"Eld .  Joel  Greene  of  the  committee  appointed  to  visit  the 
churches  of  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek,  reported  as  follows : — 

"  'The  undersigned,  one  of  the  committee  appointed  last  session 
to  visit  several  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in  Virginia,  beg  leave 
to  report  that  we  have  visited  those  churches,  accompanied  and  assisted 
by  br.  S.  Coon,  our  missionary  in  that  quarter 

"  'We  also  visited  the  2d  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  on  Lost 
Creek,  and  after  a  careful  examination  of  their  Articles  of  Faith,  their 
discipline,   &c.. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


153 


"  'RESOLVED,  That  we  do  not  recognise  the  rectitude  of  the 
motives  which  led  to  their  separation  from  the  ist  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church  on  Lost  Creek. 

"  'RESOLVED,  That  the  circumstances  attending  the  ordination 
oi  Wm.  Williams,  are,  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee,  such  as  to  forbid 
the  validity  of  said  ordination  being  admitted  by  the  conference. 

"  'RESOLVED,  That  in  the  opinion  of  the  committee  it  is 
inexpedient  to  grant  their  request  for  admission  to  this  body. 

"Joel   Greene." 

The  new  church  was  left  in  quiet  possession  of  the  old 
meeting  house,  the  old  church  holding  services,  first  at  the 
home  of  one  of  its  members,  and  afterwards  at  the  "school 
house  by  Elisabeth  VanHorn's." 

Under  the  sagacious  leadership  of  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  who, 
as  we  have  seen,  was  on  a  visit  to  Virginia  at  that  time,  it  was 
decided  to  build  a  new  meeting  house ;  and  on  July  23,  1832, 
the  church  took  formal  action  to  that  effect,  voting  "to  build 
a  frame  meeting  house  at  the  old  burying  ground  on  Mr.  Bas- 
sel's  premises."  This  is  the  building  that  for  many  years  was 
known  in  all  that  region  of  country  round  about  as  the  "Frame 
Church."  Of  its  erection,  Rev.  Joel  Greene  relates  as 
follows : — 

"This  was  done  with  [such]  unanimity,  liberality,  and  celerity,  as 
to  do  honour  to  the  church  and  disarm  opposition.  In  a  short  time, 
the  larger  portion  of  the  dissenters  retraced  their  steps,  resumed  their 
walk  with  the  church,  and  the  community  rejoiced  in  a  rather 
extensive  revival  of  religion,  bringing  increased  strength  to  the  church, 
and  benefit  to  the  cause  of  religion  generally." 

These  were  days  of  stormy  trial  for  the  church,  never- 
theless. The  new  church  continued  its  existence  with  a  hand- 
ful of  members,  for  several  years.  Finally  becoming  weary, 
themselves,  of  the  division  and  conseqtient  strife,  on  April  10, 
1835,  they  presented  a  petition  to  the  old  church  praying  for 
admission  to  that  church.  The  petition  was  rejected,  and  the 
new  church  gradually  died  away. 

On  May  24,  1834,  a  request  was  presented  to  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  asking  it  to  undertake  to  settle  certain  matters 
of  difference  between  individual  members  of  the  New  Salem 
Church.  This  the  Lost  Creek  Church  declined  to  do,  on  the 
ground  that  the  New  Salem  Church  had  not  made  due  effort 
to  settle  the  difffculties  itself.  After  the  New  Salem  Church 
should  have  made  proper  effort  to  settle  these  difficulties  and 


154 


SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 


then  failed,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  expressed  a  wilHngness  to 
lend  its  aid. 

In  the  end,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  became  involved  in 
this  trouble  itself,  through  receiving  William  F.  Randolph  into 
its  membership,  under  the  circumstances  set  forth  in  the 
chapter  on  the  history  of  the  Nczv  Salem  Church. 

On  Alarch  3,  1844,  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Abel  B.  Bond 
were  called  to  improve  their  "talents  within  the  bounds  of  this 
church."  On  the  same  day,  Abel  Bond,  2d.,  was  appointed  a 
committee  to  correspond  with  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brown  and 
ascertain  what  his  travelling  expences  would  be  during  his 
travels  in  Virginia. 

On  December  9,  1849,  ^^v.  Azor  Estee  and  his  wife  were 
received  into  membership  from  the  church  at  Petersburgh, 
New  York.  He  had  come  upon  the  field  in  the  capacity  of  a 
general  missionary  among  the  churches  in  Virginia,  and  when 
some  six  months  afterward  the  establishment  of  an  academy 
among  these  churches  came  to  be  seriously  considered,  under 
the  leadership  of  William  F.  Randolph  and  Rev.  Azor  Estee, 
the  Lost  Creek  Church  pledged  its  moral  and  financial  support 
to  the  enterprise.^ 

June  9,  1854,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  appointed  pastor 
of  the  church.  He  continued  to  act  in  that  capacity  for  several 
years,  a  part  of  the  period  dividing  his  time  between  the  Lost 
Creek  and  New  Salem  churches. 

On  May  11,  1856,  the  church  voted  to  ask  admission  into 
the  Eastern  Association,  and  appointed  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  a 
delegate  to  that  body.  This  application  precipitated  a  spirited 
discussion  of  the  Slavery  Question,  which  is  described  in  the 
subsequent  chapter  on  Slavery. 

On  March  13,  1857,  Lewis  Bond  and  his  wife  were 
received  into  the  membership  of  the  church.  They  were  the 
two  remaining  members  of  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
Church,  in  which  Lewis  Bond  had  been  ordained  a  deacon  and 
licenced  to  preach.  He  was  received  into  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  upon  the  same  footing  he  occupied  as  a  member  of  the 
North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church. 

On  the  same  day,  Naomi  Kildow,  formerly  a  member  of 


I.     Cf.  chapter  in  this  book  on  tlie   West   Union  Academy. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  1 55 

the  defunct  Woodbridgetown  Church,  and  a  descendant  of 
Rev.  Enoch  David,  was  made  a  member  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church. 

Also  upon  this  date,  action  was  taken  preparatory  to 
securing  the  services  of  Rev.  David  Clawson,  as  pastor  of  the 
church. 

On  September  10,  1858,  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
confer  with  a  hke  committee  from  the  New  Salem  Church 
for  the  purpose  of  making  the  arrangements  necessary  to 
secure  Rev.  David  Clawson  as  the  pastor  of  the  two  churches 
jointly.  The  negotiations  were  successful,  and  on  March  11, 
1859,  a  brief  synopsis  of  the  theological  views  of  David 
Clawson  were  presented  and  recorded  as  follows : — 

"Synopsis  of  views  presented  by  Elder  David  Clawson  to  the 
Brethren  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  on  their  extending  to  him  a  call 
to  preach  to  them,  as  his  sentiments,  what  he  understands  to  be  the 
basis  of  the  views,  doctrines,  and  organisation  of  said  church,  as  also 
a  brief  outline  of  the  doctrines  and  sentiments  he  expects  to  hold  forth ; 
[viz.], 

"THAT  ALL  men  are  under  obligation  to  keep  all  the  command- 
ments of  God,  as  given  at  Sinai.  See  Exodus  XX.  1-17;  Matthew  V. 
17,  etc. 

"THAT  ALL  men  are  justly  included  under  sin  and  its  conse- 
quences, of  condemnation,  and  un-reconciliation  of  God  for  their 
disobedience  and  enmity  to  that  law. 

"THAT  THE  Gospel  is  a  glorious  scheme  or  plan  of  God's  own 
devising,  originating  in  his  love  and  the  effect  of  His  wisdom,  to  save 
man  from  all  the  consequences  of  sin  by  reconciling  them  to  himself  in 
Christ  Jesus,  his  Son,  who  died  for  our  sins. 

"IT  IS  TRUE  (or  sincere)  living  (or  active)  faith,  and  that  only, 
that  does  secure  to  any,  pardon,  justification,  and  eternal  life.  And 
all  that  thus  believe  have  that  pardon,  justification,  and  life.  (See 
John  III,  39). 

"ALL  THAT  have  faith  to  feel  that  sin  is  exceedingly  sin- 
ful and  are  ready  to  confess  it  with  full  purpose  of  heart  to  forsake  it. 
(ist  John  I,  9). 

"THAT  SUCH  confession  is  set  forth  in  all,  each,  and  every  ordi- 
nance of  the  Gospel,  and  is,  on  the  part  of  the  believer,  a  solemn 
declaration  of  his  faith  in,  and  submission  to,  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  union  of  believers  thus  manifesting  their  faith  in  and  for  Christ 
and  his  cause,  is  what  composes,  or  constitutes  a  Gospel  church. 

"THAT  SUCH  union  is  enjoined  by  Christ  for  the  benefit  of  his 
people,  and  to  present  through  him  his  truth  to  the  world." 

He  came  upon  the  field  and  entered  upon  his  work  with 
earnestness  and  zeal,  but  the  two  churches  he  came  to  serve 


156    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

were  not  to  enjoy  his  labours  long,  for  he  was  soon  called 
away  to  the  better  world,  and  on  March  8,  i860,  the  church 
recorded  the  following  resolution : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  while  we  would  desire  to  bow  in  submission 
to  the  divine  will  we  deeply  mourn  the  removal  of  our  beloved  Elder 
David  Clawson  from  our  midst  by  death,  and  we  heartily  recommend 
the  widow  of  our  beloved  Elder  to  the  sympathies  and  charity  of  both 
this  and  the  New  Salem  Church." 

Upon  the  death  of  Rev.  David  Clawson,  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis  was  again  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  He 
accepted  the  call  and  continued  as  pastor,  assisted  from  time 
to  time  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  and  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  until 
the  1st  of  January,  1869,  when  he  resigned  of  his  own  free 
will  on  account  of  ill  health,  and  relinquished  the  work  for  a 
short  time. 

The  Civil  War  threw  its  clouds  over  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  in  common  with  the  other  churches  in  Virginia,  and 
when  after  the  formation  of  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  and 
the  formal  adoption  of  its  constitution  on  June  20,  1863,  the 
local  civil  authorities  saw  fit  to  use  the  house  of  worship  of 
the  Lost  Creek  Church  as  a  suitable  place  in  which  to  conduct 
an  election  on  December  10,  1863,  the  church  made  the 
following  protest: — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  deeply  regret  that  there  is  a  township  elec- 
tion to  be  held  at  our  Church  House  on  the  nth  of  this  month, 
believing,  as  we  do,  that  the  house  of  God  should  be  used  only  for 
religious  purposes. 

"WHEREAS,  The  foregoing  resolution  expresses  the  feelings  of 
all  our  members,  together  with  the  fact  that  there  is  a  good  school 
house  in  sight  of  the  Church  suitable  for  the  occasion,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  humbly  ask  the  Commissioners  to  change 
the  place  of  holding  the  election  to  the  school  house  or  some  other 
suitable  place,  and  that  Brothers  William  Batten  and  William  Kennedy 
be  a  committee  to  visit  them  and  present  to  them  a  copy  of  the 
foregoing  resolution." 

On  the  I2th  of  March,  1864,  the  committee  appointed  to 
visit  the  Election  Commissioners,  reported  that  while  they 
had  not  succeeded  in  preventing  the  holding  of  the  election 
in  the  meeting  house  on  the  nth  of  December  preceding,  they 
had  obtained  a  promise  to  the  effect  that  elections  wotild  be 
held  elsewhere  in  the  future. 

March  9,  1866,  the  church  took  action  as    follows    con- 


REV.     DAVID     CLA\\'SON. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  1 57 

cerning  a  recent    visit  of  Rev.    Walter  B.  Gillette    to  West 
Virginia : — 

"WHEREAS,  We  believe  the  faithful,  though  short,  labours  of 
Elder  Gillette  were  well  received  and  highly  appreciated  by  our  people 
and  friends  generally,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  tender  to  him  our  sincere  thanks  for  the 
same,  and  that  the  clerk  forward  to  him  a  copy  of  the  foregoing 
resolution." 

Action  was  taken  from  time  to  time  as  to  ways  and  means 
whereby  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  could 
be  actively  employed  for  more  of  their  time  in  the 
work  of  administering  to  the  needs  of  the  Lost  Creek  and  New 
Salem  churches,  not  forgetting  to  visit  the  isolated  members 
of  these  churches,  many  of  whom  lived  at  a  great  distance 
from  the  immediate  bounds  of  these  churches. 

In  the  summer  of  1867,  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Jacob  Davis 
made  a  trip  to  Shelbyville,  Tennessee,  to  visit  Dr.  William  J. 
Gordon,  a  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church.^  At  the  busi- 
ness meeting  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  held  September  13, 
1867,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  presented  a  report  of  this  trip  to 
the  Lost  Creek  Church  as  follows : — 

"Lost  Creek,  West  Virginia,  September  13,  1867. 
"To  the  Brethren  comt;>osing  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Chioxh  at  Lost 

Creek; 
"Dear  Brethren  : — 

"Having  been  appointed  by  you  at  your  last  church  meeting  to  go 
on  a  short  missionary  tour  to  Tennessee;  in  compliance  with  your 
arrangement,  I  left  my  home  on  the  i6th  day  of  June,  1867,  having 
previously  received  at  the  hands  of  your  committee,  Hiram  N.  Davis, 
who  was  appointed  to  solicit  funds  for  said  Mission,  $99.00,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  New  Salem.  On  my  way,  I  called  on  Randolph  Davis,  who 
swelled  the  mission  fund  to  $100.00. 

"On  arriving  at  New  Salem,  I  was  joined  by  Brother  Jacob  Davis, 
and  at  4  p.  m.,  we  left  the  friends  of  New  Salem  for  Shelbyville,  Ten- 
nessee, where  we  arrived  on  the  evening  of  the  18th,  and  met  with 
Doctor  William  J.  Gordon,  who  was  in  waiting  at  that  point  to  receive 
us. 

"The  next  day,  we  went  with  him  to  his  lovely  home  in  the 
beautiful  hills  of  Middle  Tennessee.  In  this  section  we  remained 
nearly  two  weeks,  visiting  and  preaching  to  large,  increasing,  and 
attentive  congregations,  when  we  decided  (having  asked  wisdom  from 


I.    Dr.  William  J.  Gordon,  who  was  a  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church  died  at 
Shelbyville,  Bedford  County,  Tennessee,  August  21,  1875. 


158    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

above)  that  under  all  the  circumstances,  our  work  in  that  section,  for 
the  present,  was  ended,  Doctor  Gordon  concurring  in  the  decision. 

"Owing  to  the  extreme  hot  weather,  and  brother  Jacob's  bad 
health,  we  only  preached  in  this  section  eleven  sermons. 

"We  found  Doctor  Gordon  to  be  a  man  of  high  standing  in  his 
neighbourhood,  and  a  firm  and  an  able  contender  for  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints;  his  wife,  an  accomplished  lady  and  a  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  in  principle  and  practise ;  the  people  of  his  neighbourhood, 
sociable,  affable,  and  hospitable,  and  we  hope  our  labours  among  them 
were  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord. 

"On  our  return,  we  called  on  our  brethren  in  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio, 
and  preached  four  sermons  for  them.  They  are  in  a  destitute  condi- 
tion, having  no  minister  except  Elder  S.  Babcock,  who  is  superannuated. 
They  seemed  much  refreshed  with  our  visit. 

"I  returned  to  my  home  on  the  9th  day  of  July,  having  been  absent 
twenty-four  days,  travelled  fifteen  hundred  and  seventy-two  miles, 
preached  nine  sermons,  and  made  twentj'-four  visits. 

"Travelling  expenses,  $59.20;  incidental  expenses,  $15.00.  We 
received  of  friends  in  Temiesee  $7.00,  of  the  brethren  and  friends  in 
Ohio  $14.50,  which  we  divided  equally,  making  [us  each]  $10.75.  Total 
amount  money  received,  $110.75.  Total  amount  of  expenses,  $74.20. 
Money  received  over  expenses,  $36.55. 

"AH  of  which  we  respectfully  submit. 

"S.  D.  D.^vis." 

At  the  next  church  meeting  after  the  one  at  which  the 
foregoing  report  was  presented,  Jacob  VanHorn,  of  the  church 
at  Welton,  Iowa,  and  Simeon  Babcock  and  Hezekiah  M.  Stout 
of  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio,  appeared  with  a  request 
that  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  should  visit  their  respective 
churches,  and  engage  for  a  time  in  evangelistic  work.  The 
church  voted  to  leave  the  matter  to  the  discretion  of  Samuel 
D.  Davis. 

In  the  year  1870,  the  church  undertook  the  erection  of  a 
new  house  of  w^orship,  to  be  built  of  brick.  This  was  carried 
through  to  a  successful  accomplishment,  and  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  was  provided  with  the  best  house  of  worship  of  any  of 
the  churches  of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  and  one  of  the 
best  be  found  at  that  time  in  central  West  Virginia. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  1874,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  finally 
resigned  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  who  for  several  years  had  been 
engaged  in  missionary  work  in  West  Virginia. 

Charles  A.  Burdick  was  followed,  successively,  by  Lucius 


AliEL    P.    BOND. 


BRUMFIELD    BOND. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


159 


R.  Swinney,  John  L.  Huffman,  Lely  D.  Seager,  William  L, 
Burdick,  and  Mazzina  G.  Stillman. 

In  October,  1880,  the  church  purchased  a  parsonage,  and 
in  1887,  for  a  second  time,  the  church  lost  its  house  of  worship 
by  fire.     The  loss  was  promptly  repaired. 

With  the  establishment  of  Salem  College  in  1889,  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  began  to  suffer  a  decline  in  its  resident  mem- 
bership, several  families  moving  away  to  Salem  in  order  to 
give  their  children  the  advantages  offered  by  the  new  school. 
The  church,  however,  is  in  a  flourishing  condition  at  the 
present  time,  and  the  outlook  for  its  future  prosperity  and 
usefulness  is  bright. 

QUIET    DELL    AND    HACKERS    CREEK. 

From  the  very  beginning  of  its  existence  up  to  within  a 
few  years  of  the  date  of  this  writing,  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
has  maintained  a  preaching  station  at  Quiet  Dell,  situated  on 
Elk  Creek,  some  ten  miles  from  Clarksburg,  and  about  an 
equal  distance  from  Lost  Creek  Station. 

This  was  the  home  of  Abel  Bond,  Sr.  His  home  was  the 
first  stopping  place  of  missionaries  sent  to  Virginia  from  the 
north  and  east,  as  they  came  on  horseback  up  the  West  Fork 
River  from  the  Woodbridgetown  Church. 

Here  were  entertained  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells,  from  Hop- 
kinton,  Rhode  Island;  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Deacon  John 
Bright,  of  Shiloh,  New  Jersey;  Rev.  John  Greene,  from 
DeRuyter,  New  York;  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  of  DeRuy- 
ter.  New  York;  and  others.  Here  a  home  was  built  in  the 
corner  of  the  yard  of  Abel  Bond  for  the  use  of  Alexander 
Campbell  and  his  family  upon  their  second  visit  to  this  field. 

Here,  Abel  Bond  established  a  grist  and  saw  mill,  run  by 
water  power  from  Elk  Creek,  and  for  many  years  the  place 
was  known  as  Bond's  Mills.  With  the  exception  of  one  or 
two  short  intervals,  the  mills  remained  in  the  hands  of  the 
Bond  family  until  about  the  year  1880,  when  they  passed  into 
other  hands  forever,  and  after  a  few  years  became  neglected, 
and  went  to  ruin. 

In  later  years,  the  most  spirited  member  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  at  Quiet  Dell  was  Dudley  H.  Davis.  He 
interested  himself  greatly  in  church  work,  and  was  the  super- 
intendent for  several  years  of  a  flourishing  Sabbath  School  at 


l6o    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

Quiet  Dell.  But  physical  infirmities  overtook  him  which  pre- 
vented his  taking  part  in  public  meetings,  and  the  interests  at 
Quiet  Dell  languished,  and  have  finally  almost  wholly  died  out 
from  deaths  and  removals. 

Other  important  interests  of  the  church  have  been  for  a 
great  many  years  on  Hackers  Creek,  where  another  one  of  the 
Bond  families  located,  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  away  from 
Lost  Creek  Station.  The  interests  there  are  represented  at 
the  present  time  by  the  family  of  Mr.  Boothe  Bond  and  his 
brother,  Levi  D.  Bond. 

MEETING  HOUSES. 

The  Lost  Creek  Church  has  had  four  houses  of  worship. 
On  July  20,  1806,  the  church  voted  to  build  a  log  meeting 
house  twenty-two  feet  wide  by  twenty-eight  feet  in  length  on 
the  land  of  Richard  Bond.  This  building  served  the  church 
for  a  house  of  worship  for  several  years,  and  w'as  then 
accidentally  burnt. 

On  February  22,  181 1,  it  was  decided  to  replace  the  burnt 
house  with  another  log  building  slightly  smaller  than  the  first, 
the  new  house  to  be  twenty-six  feet  long  and  twenty-two  feet 
wide.  The  church  also  decided  to  change  the  site,  and  place 
the  new  building  on  the  land  of  William  VanHorn,  who 
agreed  to  give  the  church  a  deed  to  a  lot  of  one  acre. 

The  second  house  was  used  by  the  church,  until  the  seced- 
ing body,  known  as  the  Second  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church 
of  Lost  Creek,  was  formed,  when  the  new  church  seized  the 
house  of  worship,  and  as  a  result,  the  old  church  was  com- 
pelled for  a  time  to  worship  in  the  private  houses  of  its 
members  and  in  a  school  house  that  was  near  by. 

Instead  of  trying  to  regain  possession  of  the  house  of 
worship,  the  church  wisely  decided  to  build  a  new  meeting 
house,  this  time  a  frame  building,  at  the  old  burying 
ground  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  Bassel.  The  church  took  action 
to  this  effect,  on  July  23,  1832.  This  building,  when  com- 
pleted, was  called  the  "Frame  Church,"  and  was  known  by 
that  name  far  and  wide  so  long  as  it  stood. 

On  the  nth  of  March,  1870,  a  committee  was  appointed 
to  select  a  site  for  a  new  church  edifice,  submit  a  plan  for  the 
proposed  building,   and   recommend   whether  it  should  be   a 
frame  or  brick  building. 
(10) 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  l6l 

On  the  8th  of  the  following  April,  the  committee  reported 
that  it  had  selected  as  a  site  for  the  new  house  of  worship,  a 
lot  of  land  containing  a  trifle  more  than  two  acres  belonging 
to  Samuel  Cookman,  and  situated  on  the  east  side  of  the  turn- 
pike leading  from  Clarksburg  to  Weston,  at  a  cost  of  $157.57. 
The  committee  likewise  submitted  a  plan  providing  for  a 
building  fifty  feet  in  length  by  thirty-eight  feet  in  width,  and 
recommended  that  it  be  built  of  brick.  They  submitted  esti- 
mates for  both  brick  and  frame  work,  however.  The  former 
at  $2,503.60,  and  the  latter  at  $2,191.40. 

The  report  of  the  committee,  with  its  recommendations, 
was  adopted.  Title  was  taken  the  same  day  to  the  new  site. 
Moses  H.  Davis  was  appointed  to  solicit  funds  for  the  build- 
ing, and  a  building  committee  was  appointed.  The  work  was 
completed  as  directed,  at  a  total  cost  of  $4,300.00,  as  reported 
to  the  church  on  December  12,  1872.  It  was  formally  dedi- 
cated on  January  14,  1872. 

On  the  preceding  day,  Sabbath,  an  affecting  farewell  ser- 
vice was  held  in  the  Old  Frame  Meeting  House.  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Davis  preached  a  sermon,  using  as  his  text,  Exodus  xxxiii, 
15.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis,  who 
used  the  same  text. 

At  the  dedication  service,  on  the  next  day,  the  order  of 
exercises  was  as  follows : — 

Singing. 

Presentation  of  Bible,  in  behalf  of  the  donor,  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette. 

Reading  of  Scriptures,  by  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick. 

Hymn  No.  903,  from  the  Christian  Psahnody,  "The  perfect  world,  by 

Adam  trod." 
Prayer,  by  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph. 
Hymn  No.  905,  from  the  Christian  Psalmody,  "Great  King  of  Glory, 

Come." 
Sermon,  from  H  Chronicles  11,  4,  by  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis. 
Collection  to  apply  upon  debt  of  church. 

Delivery  of  keys  of  the  new  edifice,  by  the  Building  Committee. 
Dedicatory  Prayer,  by  Rev.   Samuel  D.  Davis. 
Charge  to  Trustees  and  Church,  by  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick. 
Benediction,   by   Rev.    Abram    Herbert   Lewis. 

In  the  evening,  after  the  dedication  service  of  the  day, 
Moses  H.  Davis  and  William  B.  VanHorn  were  ordained 
deacons  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

On  the  following  day,  the  Second  Day  of  the  week,  the 


l62    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

organisation  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  was  effected  at 
Lost  Creek,  and  on  the  following  Sixth  Day  of  the  week,  there 
was  organised  within  the  bounds  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
the  West  Fork  (now  called  the  Roanoke)  Church,  in  what  was 
then  called  "  Sabbatarian  Valley."  Here  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  had  recently  completed  a  neat  frame  building  to  be 
used  as  a  house  of  worship  by  those  members  of  the  church 
living  in  that  vicinity. 

On  December  24,  1876,  Moses  H.  Davis  was  directed  by 
the  church,  to  advertise  for  bids  for  the  "Old  Frame"  struc- 
ture, and  sell  it,  and  on  March  4,  1877,  it  was  sold  to  Clinton 
H.  Davis  for  thirty-five  dollars   ($35.00). 

On  the  night  of  September  24,  1887,  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  for  a  second  time,  had  the  misfortune  to  have  its 
house  of  worship  destroyed  by  fire.  The  walls,  however, 
were  for  the  most  part  left  standing,  and  not  so  seriously 
damaged  but  that  they  could  be  repaired  without  tearing  them 
wholly  down. 

The  church  immediately  rallied  to  the  work  of  rebuilding. 
On  the  day  following  the  fire,  a  business  meeting  of  the  church 
was  held  on  the  church  lot,  and  a  committee,  consisting  of 
Charles  N.  Maxson,  Boothe  Bond,  Levi  B.  Davis,  and  Ward- 
ner  Davis,  was  appointed  to  solicit  funds.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  superintend  the  work  of  repairing,  and  still 
another  committee  was  appointed  to  secure  a  suitable  place 
in  which  the  church  could  meet  for  worship  until  the  repairs 
could  be  completed. 

The  repairs  were  completed  at  a  cost  of  $1,671.90,  and  the 
edifice  was  re-dedicated  at  the  annual  session  of  the  South- 
Eastern  Association,  held  with  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  in 
May,  1888.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was  preached  by  the 
pastor,  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman. 

GRAVEYARDS. 

When  the  Old  Frame  Church  was  abandoned,  the  lot,  which 
had  been  used  for  many  years  as  a  graveyard,  remained  in  the 
possession  of  the  church,  and  continued  to  be  used  as  a  burying 
ground. 

On  March  12,  1897,  Lloyd  R.  Kennedy  and  Clinton  H. 
Davis  were  appointed  a  committee  to  confer  with  Lloyd  Stout, 
the  owner  of  a  piece  of  land  lying  across  the  public  highway 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  163 

from  the  Brick  Church,  and  ascertain  upon  what  terms  it 
could  be  obtained  for  a  graveyard.  On  the  9th  of  the  follow- 
ing April,  the  committee  reported  that  an  option  had  been 
secured  upon  a  plot  of  about  two  acres  at  the  rate  of  sixty-six 
and  two-thirds  dollars  ($66.67)  ^^^  acre.  The  action  of  the 
committee  was  approved  and  it  was  ordered  to  proceed  with 
the  actual  purchase  of  the  ground.  Accordingly,  on  June  10, 
1898,  the  committee  reported  to  the  church  that  the  new 
graveyard,  purchased  at  an  aggregate  cost  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  ($138.75),  was 
paid  for,  and  the  deed  for  it  passed  to  the  church. 

PARSONAGE. 

For  three  quarters  of  a  century  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
had  no  home  for  its  pastor,  unless  the  house  built  at  Quiet  Dell 
on  the  premises  of  Abel  Bond  for  the  use  of  Rev.  Alexander 
Campbell  might  be  so  called.  This  is  described  in  the  chapter 
on  the  Neiv  Salem  Church  and  as  intimated  there,  was 
probably  largely,  if  not  wholly,  built  by  Abel  Bond  himself. 

On  September  5,  1880,  Loman  J.  Kennedy,  W.  H.  Ferris, 
William  P.  Bond,  Dudley  H.  Davis,  and  Boothe  Bond,  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  select  a  site  for  a  parsonage,  to 
select  a  plan,  and  report  the  probable  cost  of  such  a  building  to 
the  church. 

On  the  1 8th  of  the  following  October,  the  committee 
recommended  the  purchase  of  the  imfinished  house  of  Thomas 
A.  Davis,  at  Lost  Creek  Station.  The  report  of  the  committee 
was  adopted,  and  the  committee  was  instructed  to  purchase 
the  house  and  have  it  completed.  It  was  empowered  to  raise 
the  money  by  subscription  to  pay  for  the  house. 

On  the  nth  of  November,  1883,  the  last  payment  on  the 
parsonage  was  reported  as  made,  and  an  unencumbered  title 
passed  to  the  church.  The  total  cost  of  the  parsonage  was 
upwards  of  six  hundred  dollars  ($600.00). 

PASTORS. 

Rev.  John  Davis  was  the  early  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek, 
and  as  early  as  181 1,  he  was  reported  to  Conference  as  the 
elder  of  that  church,  although  he  was  a  member  of  the  New 
Salem  Church.  He  probably  visited  the  church  quite  fre- 
quently, especially  on  the  occasion  of  Communion  Service  and 
other  special  services. 


l64    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

On  June  20,  1806,  the  church  decided  to  have  Commun- 
ion Service  three  times  a  year,  the  last  Sabbath  in  March, 
July,  and  November,  respectively.  The  Sixth  Day  of  the 
week  preceding  the  Communion  Service  was  to  be  a  day  of 
prayer  and  fasting.  They  also  decided  to  have  a  Yearly 
Meeting  the  first  Sabbath  in  October,  which  was  conducted 
by  the  Lost  Creek  Church  alone  until  in  the  year  1859,  when 
on  the  loth  of  June  of  that  year  the  church  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  visit  the  New  Salem  Church  and  invite  it  to  unite 
with  the  Lost  Creek  Church  in  this  service.  The  committee 
carried  out  the  instructions  of  the  church,  and  the  proposed 
arrangement  was  effected. 

The  First  Day  of  the  week  before  Communion  Service 

was  the  time  for  the  regular  business  meetings  of  the  church. 

The  church  had    Ruling    Elders  for    a    time,    but    this 

arrangement    proved    unsatisfactory,    and    on    November    20, 

1820,  the  office  was  abolished. 

Much  of  the  preaching  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath,  how- 
ever, was  done  by  the  licentiate  members  of  the  church,  and  by 
roving  clergymen  of  too  questionable  a  character  to  entitle 
them  to  be  called  itinerant  ministers.  These  men  usually  pro- 
fessed to  be  Seventh  Day  Baptists  until  their  true  colours  were 
uncovered.  The  church  was  frequently  deceived  in  this  man- 
ner. As  early  as  181 1,  one  Smith,  of  doubtful  reputation, 
claiming  to  come  from  New  Jersey,  appeared  among  them. 

On  November  24,  181 1,  the  church  voted  to  request 
Hamilton  Goss  to  preach  for  them  once  a  month. 

About  the  year,  181 1,  Rev.  John  Davis  moved  to  the 
state  of  Ohio,  and  connected  himself  for  a  time  with  the 
church  at  Mad  River.  He  then  returned  to  Virginia,  when 
difficulties  arose  involving  him  with  several  of  the  members 
of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  but  he  continued  to  minister  to  its 
wants. 

On  July  6,  18 17,  Abel  Bond  was  instructed  by  the  church 
to  write  to  the  General  Conference  soliciting  ministerial  aid, 
and  in  the  November  following,  similar  action  was  taken. 

In  common  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  was  visited  from  time  to  time  by  ministers  from  other 
parts  of  the  denomination.  Amos  R.  Wells,  Joel  Greene, 
John  Davis  of  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  Alexander  Campbell,  and 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  165 

Others,  came  from  time  to  time.  But  their  stay  was  always 
short. 

As  early  as  April  4,  1824,  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis  began  to 
preach  for  the  church.  He  continued  preaching  without  any 
official  connection  with  the  church,  until  June  3,  1827,  when 
he  accepted  a  call  previously  extended  to  him  to  become  pastor 
of  the  church. 

On  March  6,  183 1,  Rev.  Peter  Davis  of  the  New  Salem 
Church,  was  solicited  to  attend  the  Quarterly  Meetings 
(communion  services)   of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

On  March  3,  1844,  Abel  Bond,  2d,  was  appointed  to 
correspond  with  Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brown  concerning  a  trip  to 
Virginia. 

As  early  as  Jvme  5,  1845,  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  licenced 
to  preach,  and  occupied  the  pulpit  quite  regularly  for  several 
years. 

On  December  9,  1849,  the  church  appointed  a  committee 
to  confer  with  a  similar  committee  from  the  New  Salem 
Church,  regarding  a  proper  division  of  the  services  of  Rev. 
Azor  Estee,  who  had  recently  come  upon  the  Virginia  field, 
and  who  with  his  wife  joined  the  Lost  Creek  Church  upon 
that  date.  But  his  services  were  soon  claimed  for  the  newly 
established  Academy  at  West  Union. 

On  June  9,  1854,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  appointed 
pastor  of  the  church  for  a  period  of  one  year.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  this  time,  he  was  re-elected,  and  continued  as  pastor 
of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  dividing  his  labours  a  part  of  the 
time,  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  until  on  December  ii,  1868, 
when  on  account  of  ill-health,  he  declined  a  call  from  the 
church  to  continue  as  it  pastor. 

In  the  meantime.  Rev.  David  Clawson  was  employed 
jointly  by  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  from  a 
time  early  in  the  year  1858,  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
about  two  years  afterward,  to  labour  within  the  bounds  of  the 
two  churches. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis  of  the  New  Salem  Church  was  invited 
on  March  8,  i860,  to  preach  for  the  Lost  Creek  Church  on 
the  second  Sabbath  in  each  month.  On  March  13,  1863,  he 
was  invited  to  preach  for  the  church  at  his  convenience,  and 
the  members  were  solicited  to  contribute  to  his  support. 


l66    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

On  September  8,  1865,  when  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis 
received  his  annual  call  to  the  pastorate  for  the  ensuing  year, 
Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  and  Lewis  F.  Randolph  and  his  brother 
Judson,  the  last  two  of  whom  were  licentiate  members  of  the 
New  Salem  Church,  were  all  invited  to  labour  in  the  church 
during  the  following  year. 

On  June  8,  1866,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  confer 
with  a  like  committee  from  the  New  Salem  Church  to  arrange 
with  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Jacob  Davis  to  give  more  time  to 
pastoral  work  in  the  two  churches,  so  that  every  member  of 
each  church  "should  be  reached  as  often  as  once  in  six 
months." 

After  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  had  declined  on  account  of 
impaired  health  to  serve  the  church  longer  as  pastor,  arrange- 
ments were  concluded  with  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  on  January  8, 
1869,  to  become  pastor  of  the  church  until  the  second  Sabbath 
in  March,  1870.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  also  invited  "to 
preach  when  his  health  will  permit,  and  he  may  think  the  cause 
demands." 

The  salary  paid  the  pastor  in  those  days  was  small.  At 
one  time  Samuel  D.  Davis  and  Jacob  Davis  were  voted  an 
annual  salary  of  seventy-five  dollars  ($75.00)  each  for  their 
labours  with  both  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches. 
And  on  March  12,  1869,  arrangements  were  completed  for  the 
employment  of  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  "  to  give  his  entire  time, 
beginning  with  the  first  Sabbath  in  February,  1869,  to  i\Iarch 
15,  1870,  to  the  work  of  the  church,  for  the  sum  of  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  ($250.00)."  And  Rev.  Jacob  Davis 
lived  at  Greenbrier,  twenty  miles  away  ! 

On  March  11,  1870,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  again 
chosen  pastor.  He  presented  his  last  report  as  pastor  to  the 
church,  March  13,  1874,  and  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  who 
had  been  employed  by  the  Missionary  Board  as  a  general  mis- 
sionary upon  the  West  Virginia  field  for  several  years  past, 
accepted  a  call,  December  5,  1875,  to  become  his  successor. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  served  as  pastor  nearly  two 
years,  and  then  resigned  to  give  his  attention  to  other  interests 
in  the  State  of  New  York. 


REV.    WILLIAM    L.    BUKDICK. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  i^y 

On  August  5,  1877,  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney  was  elected 
pastor.  He  served  for  a  period  of  nine  years,  and  then 
resigned  to  accept  the  pastorate  of  the  church  at  DeRuyter, 
New  York. 

On  September  5,  1886,  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  was 
elected  pastor.  He  remained  with  the  church  until  he  resigned 
to  accept  the  pastorate  of  the  Salem  Church.  His  resignation 
was  accepted  March  13,  1891,  and  on  the  23d  of  the  same 
month,  Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager  was  elected  his  successor. 

On  February  4,  1893,  the  church  accepted  the  resignation 
of  Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager,  who  soon  after  assumed  the  pastoral 
charge  of  the  Ritchie  Church. 

On  June  9,  1893,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  extended  a  call 
to  Rev.  William  L.  Burdick  to  become  its  pastor.  He  accepted 
the  call  and  remained  until  August,  1895.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman,  who  began  his  labour  with  the 
church  in  January,  1896. 

Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman  presented  his  resignation  July 
26,  1902,  when  it  was  accepted  by  the  church. 

LICENCED   TO    PREACH. 

Concerning  licence  to  preach  the  records  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  show  the  following: — 

November  18,  1810.  Moses  Huffman  and  Cornelius  Williams  were 
given  licence  to  preach  within  the  bounds  of  the  church,  at  their 
convenience. 

March  31,  181 1.  Richard  Bond  was  disciplined  by  the  church  for 
having  given  a  letter  of  recommendation  to  one  Mr.  Smith,  a  preacher 
from  New  Jersey,  without  the  consent  of  the  church. 

October  3.  1819.  William  Williams  and  Abel  Bond  were  licenced 
to  preach  within  the  bounds  of  the  church. 

November  8,  1819.  Moses  H.  Ailes  and  Davis  Loofboro  were  both 
licenced  by  the  church  to  preach  for  a  period  of  one  year.  The  licences 
of  both  were  probably  renewed,  although  there  is  no  record  of  such 
action,  save  that  in  the  year  1828,  Davis  Loofboro  voluntarily  resigned 
his   licence. 

March  14,  1830.  The  church  voted  a  formal  licence  to  William 
Williams  who  was  a  candidate  for  ordination.  The  church  felt  that  it 
could  not  ordain  him,  and  reluctantly  voted  to  grant  him  a  certificate 
of  licence.     Afterward,  when  William  Williams  and  his  followers  had 


l68    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

seceded  from  the  church  and  set  up  a  new  organisation,  he  was  ordained 
by  the  new  church. 

April  10,  18,35.  Licence  was  granted  Richard  C.  Bond  to  preach, 
in  case  that  he  should  feel  it  to  be  his  duty  to  do  so.  This  licence  was 
apparently  for  preaching  within  the  bounds  of  the  church,  for  on 
March  8,  1840,  he  was  granted  licence  to  preach  wherever  he  might  be 
called. 

September  5,  1842.  The  church  voted  to  request  the  South-West- 
ern Association  to  ordain  Richard  C.  Bond  at  its  annual  session  to  be 
held  with  the  church  at  Port  Jefferson,  Shelby  County,  Ohio  in  the 
following  month  of  October.  The  request  was  presented  to  the  asso- 
ciation, which  referred  it  to  the  Presbytery  of  the  association.  The 
Presbytery  made  a  favourable  report,  and  on  the  First  Day  of  the 
week,  October  16,  the  ordination  took  place.  The  ordination  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  at  that  time  an  elder  in  the 
Port  Jefferson  Church.  The  consecrating  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev. 
Peter  Davis  of  the  New  Salem  Church.  The  charge  was  delivered  by 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  and  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  was  extended 
by  Rev.  Joshua  Hill  of  the  Port  Jefferson  Church. 

December  17,  1843.  Samuel  Davis  Davis  was  granted  licence  to 
preach  within  the  bounds  of  the  church,  and  on  March  3,  1844,  licence 
was  granted  Abel  D.  Bond.  The  licence  of  Samuel  Davis  Davis  was 
continued  from  year  to  year,  until  at  the  time  of  its  renewal  on 
September  7,  1849,  he  was  requested  to  take  his  ordination  into  con- 
sideration. He  hesitated  about  accepting  ordination  at  that  time, 
however.  [Nevertheless,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  South-Western 
Association,  held  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  the  nth 
of  the  following  October,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  presented  a  petition 
that  he  be  ordained.  Owing  to  the  fact,  however,  that  there  was  but 
one  ordained  minister  present,  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  who  was  in  feeble 
health,  and  consequently  felt  unable  to  conduct  such  a  service,  the 
ordination  was  postponed.  The  Presbytery  of  the  association,  which 
but  a  few  years  before,  had  examined  Bethnel  C.  Church  and  Richard 
C.  Bond,  appears  to  have  dissolved  and  wholly  disappeared.] 
At  a  meeting  of  the  church,  January  27,  1850,  after  having 
given  his  consent,  the  church  instructed  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  who 
was  at  that  time  dividing  his  labours  between  the  Lost  Creek  and  New 
Salem  churches,  to  make  the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  ordination. 
[Accordingly  on  the  nth  of  May  following,  he  was  solemnly  set  apart 
to  the  sacred  duties  of  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  at  a  service  held  with 
the  Lost  Creek  Church,  and  conducted  by  Rev.  Azor  Estee  and  Rev. 
Peter  Davis,  who  wrote  and  signed  a  formal  certificate  of  ordination 
and  presented  it  to  the  candidate.] 

June  14,  1850.  Licence  was  granted  Joshua  S.  Davis  to  preach  the 
gospel  wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  might  be  opened. 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH  169 

June  14,  1856.  Levi  Stalnaker  was  licenced  to  preach  for  a  period 
of  one  year.  On  March  13,  1857,  this  licence  was  renewed  for  a  period 
of  one  year. 

March  13,  1857.  Lewis  Bond,  formerly  a  member  of  the  North 
Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  which  had  declined  and  gone  out  of 
existence,  who  had  been  ordained  there  as  a  deacon  and  licenced  to 
preach,  applied  for  membership  in  the  Lost  Creek  Church.  He  was 
accepted  as  a  deacon  and  a  licentiate  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

December  12,  1873.     Lewis  Bond  was  granted  licence  to  preach. 

December  11,  1874.  Albert  Shock,  who  had  been  previously  a  licen- 
tiate member  of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  but  had  now  joined  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  had  his  licence  to  preach  recognised  by  the  Lost 
Creek  church. 

September  10,  1897.  Moses  H.  VanHorn  was  called  "to  the 
improvement  of  his  gift,"  and  invited  to  preach  once  a  month. 

Samuel  B.  Bond  was  licenced  to  preach  the  Gospel,  at  some  time 
previous  to  October,  1899. 

On  September  13,  1901.  S.  Orestes  Bond  and  Austin  O.  Bond 
were  licenced  by  the  church  to  preach. 

At  some  time  previous  to  the  withdrawal  of  Jacob  Davis  to  join 
the  New  Salem  Church,  he  had  been  licenced  to  preach,  by  the  Lost 
Creek  Church.  This  licence  was  continued  by  the  New  Salem  Church, 
by  which  he  was  afterward  ordained,  as  will  be  observed  by  consulting 
the  chapter  on  the  New  Salem  Church. 

DEACONS. 

A  few  weeks  after  the  organisation  of  the  church,  Abel 
Bond  was  appointed  deacon.  He  was  the  only  deacon  of  the 
church  until  July  21,  181 1,  when  William  VanHorn  was 
appointed  to  serve  as  deacon  in  the  absence  of  Deacon  Bond. 
And  on  the  ist  of  November,  1813,  William  VanHorn  was 
made  a  deacon,  with  Abel  Bond,  by  permanent  appointment. 
The  records  also  show  the  following : — 

March  2,  1823.  John  Forsythe  was  appointed  assistant  deacon,  to 
serve  along  with  Deacon  Bond,  who  was  now  serving  alone  again.  And 
on  September  5,  1830,  Abner  Batten  succeeded  John  Forsythe  as  deacon, 
since  the  latter  intended  to  remove  to  the  State  of  Ohio. 

December  3,  1838.  Levi  H.  Bond  was  appointed  assistant  deacon. 
He  served  until  March  10,  1848,  when  William  Kennedy  was  appointed 
deacon  in  the  stead  of  Levi  H.  Bond,  who  for  several  years  had  been 
recognised  as  a  deacon  in  full  standing,  but  who  was  now  leaving  the 
country.  The  church  now,  as  for  several  years  previous  to  this  time, 
had  three  deacons,  Abel  Bond,  Sr.,  and  Abner  Batten  still  serving. 


170    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

June  8,  1855.     John  J.  VanHorn  was  appointed  deacon. 

March  13,  1857.  Lewis  Bond,  who  had  previously  served  as  a 
deacon  of  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  was  admitted  as 
a  member  and  deacon  into  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

March  10,  1865,  Levi  Bond  was  appointed  a  deacon  of  the  church, 
and  on  June  8,  1866,  the  church  voted  that  on  the  second  Sabbath  of 
the  following  September  the  deacons  of  the  church  should  be  ordained. 
As  no  record  of  the  ordination  of  deacons  appears  before  this  date,  it  is 
doubtful  if  any  of  the  deacons  had  ever  been  ordained  by  the  church 
previous  to  this  time. 

December  8,  1871.  Moses  H.  Davis  and  William  B.  VanHorn 
were  chosen  deacons  by  the  church.  Arrangements  were  made  to  have 
them  ordained  at  the  meeting  called  for  the  organisation  of  the  South- 
Eastern  Association,  which  was  held  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek, 
beginning  the  15th  of  the  following  January. 

February,  1873.  Deacon  Holly  Welcome  Maxson  was  received  into 
the  membership  of  the  church  by  letter  from  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church  at  Cussewago,  Pennsylvania.  As  he  had  already  been  ordained 
a  deacon,  he  was  received  into  the  Lost  Creek  Church  as  such. 

March  9,  1888.  Charles  N.  Maxson  was  chosen  a  deacon  of  the 
church. 

December  11,  1891.  Boothe  Bond  and  Levi  B.  Davis  were  chosen 
deacons.  Boothe  Bond  declined,  however,  to  accept  the  appointment, 
and  Luther  A.  Bond  was  elected  in  his  place  on  the  2d  of  January 
following.     The  new  deacons  were  ordained  on  January  3,  1892. 

MODERATOR. 

The  name  of  no  moderator  appears  in  the  records  of  the 
church  until  March  8,  1861,  when  William  Kennedy  was 
elected  moderator  for  the  day.  Then  appear  the  following 
names  successively : — 

June  7,  1861,  Ebenezer  Bond, 

September  13,  1861,  William  Kennedy, 

December  13,  1861,  Walter  Fields  McWhorter, 

September  12,   1862,  William  Batten, 

March  13,  1863,  William  Batten, 

June  12,  1863,  William  Kennedy, 

December  10,  1863,  William  Kennedy, 

March  12,  1864,  William  Kennedy, 

September  9,   1864,  Thomas   B.   Davis, 

March  10,   1865,  William  Kennedy, 

June  9,   1865,  William   Batten. 

On  the  8th  of  September,  1865,  the  church  voted  that  the 


THE  LOST  CREEK  CHURCH 


171 


term  of  ofifice  of  certain  officers  of  the  church,  the  moderator 
inchtded,  should  be  one  year.  The  name  of  the  permanent 
moderator  does  not  appear,  however,  until  on  September  11, 
1868,  when  Hiram  N.  Davis  was  elected  moderator  for  one 
year.  He  was  re-elected  annually  until  September  11,  1874, 
when  Holly  Welcome  JMaxson  was  elected  to  succeed  him. 
On  September  5,  1875,  Charles  N.  Maxson  was  elected  mod- 
erator, and  he  served  as  such  until  September  11,  1891,  when 
he  was  succeeded  by  S.  Orlando  Davis,  who  has  served 
continuously  to  the  date  of  this  writing,  August  i,  1902. 

CHURCH   CLERK. 

The  following  is  a  complete  transcript  from  the  record 
as  regards  the  appointment  of  church  clerk : — 

December  18,  1805.     Moses  Huffman  chosen  clerk. 
March  4,    1814.     John  Forsythe  chosen  clerk. 

March  2,   1823.     Levi  H.   Bond  appointed  clerk  in  place  of  John 
Forsythe. 

September  4,  1831.     Thomas  B.  Bond  appointed  assistant  clerk. 
December  3,   1838.     Richard  C.   Bond  appointed  clerk. 
December  4,  1842.     Richard  C.  Bond  released  from  clerkship,  and 
Abel  Bond,  Jr.,  appointed  in  his  stead  as  assistant  clerk. 

March  10,  1848.     Jacob  Davis  appointed  assistant  clerk. 
March  7,  1851.     Joshua  S.  Davis  appointed  assistant  clerk. 
June  15,  1851.     Jacob  Davis  resigned  his  clerkship,  and  L.  Bond, 
Jr.,  appointed  to  fill  his  place. 

December  12,   1857.     Moses  H.  Davis  appointed  assistant  clerk. 
March  8,   i860.     Levi  B.  Davis  appointed  assistant  clerk  in  place 
of  Moses  H.  Davis. 

March  10,  1865.     Moses  H.  Davis  appointed  clerk  in  place  of  Levi 
Bond  resigned. 

September  7,  1866.     Moses  H.  Davis  appointed  clerk,  and  Levi  B. 
Davis  assistant  clerk,  for  another  year. 

March  7,  1875.     Luther  A.  Bond  elected  assistant  clerk. 
October  31,   1882.     Luther  A.   Bond  made  clerk  in  place  of  Levi 
B.  Davis  resigned. 

September   7,    1884.  Marcellus     Berkeley    Davis    made    assistant 
clerk. 

September  11,  1891.  Charles  A.  F.  Randolph  made  assistant  clerk. 

September  8,  1893.  Owen  T.  Davis  elected  assistant  clerk. 


172    SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

September    lo,    1897.     Marcellus    Berkeley   Davis   elected   assistant 
clerk. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

The  Lost  Creek  Church  became  a  member  of  the  General 
Conference  in  1808,  along  with  the  New  Salem  Church.  In 
1837,  it  was  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Western  Associa- 
tion, at  the  annual  session  of  that  body,  held  with  the  church 
at  Alfred,  New  York. 

When  the  old  South-Western  Association  was  organised 
in  1839,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  one  of  its  constituent  mem- 
bers. And  when  the  Virginia  Association  was  constituted  in 
1 85 1,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  became  one  of  the  constituent 
members  of  that  body,  likewise. 

After  the  dissolution  of  the  Virginia  Association,  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  along  with  the  New  Salem  Church,  became 
a  member  of  the  Eastern  Association  in  1865,  where  its  pres- 
ence precipitated  a  rancorous  discvission,  which  is  treated  in 
full  in  the  subsequent  chapter  on  Slavery.  In  1858,  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  withdrew  from  the  Eastern  Association. 

When  the  South-Eastern  Association  was  constituted  in 
1872,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
factors  in  its  organisation,  and  has  maintained  that  position 
to  the  present  time. 


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IX. 
THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH. 

jXirrr¥TnnnnonnnrTnrjifHE   Middle   Island   Church  as  orig- 

^  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  «^  ° 

)»a_aaaaaKaaa_a_aaaaa^      inallv     Orsfailised     was     situated     at 

!»«Ki»juy(iJuuLJtJLiuu«'' «■«■■•(  ^        &  .    ,        ., 

Lewisport,  now  a  part  of  the  vil- 
lage of  West  Union,  in  Doddridge 
County  on  Middle  Island  Creek. 

Here  the    New    Salem    Church 
had   erected   a   house    of    worship 


T 


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fl'a 


aa^^lllllllllllll    several  years  before,  for  the  use  of 
^xlxlMlxA^iAlixxl     several     families     living     in     that 

vicinity  who  were  members  of 
that  church.  A  graveyard  had  been  established  on  a  plot  of 
ground  adjoining  the  church  yard. 

On  the  19th  day  of  August,  1831,  there  was  presented  to 
the  New  Salem  Church  a  list  of  twenty-nine  names  of  indivi- 
duals who  had  joined  the  Middle  Island  Church.  The  New 
Salem  Church  approved  this  action,  and  on  that  date,  and  like- 
wise at  a  meeting  held  in  February  following,  granted  letters 
of  dismissal  to  others  who  wished  to  join  the  new  church  at 
Middle  Island. 

A  permanent  organisation  was  not  consummated,  how- 
ever, until  a  later  date,  as  will  be  observed  from  the  following 
certificate : — 

"This  is  to  certify  [to]  all  whom  it  may  concern  that  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Church  at  Middle  Island  was  this  day  organised  according 
to  [the]  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Denomina- 
tion. 

July  15th,   1832. 

"John  Davis, 
"Joel  Greene, 

"Elders." 


174 


SEVENTH   DAY  BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 


At  the  time  the  permanent  organisation  of  the  church  was 
efifected,  Gamble  Shannon  was  called  to  the  office  of  deacon, 
and  Ephraim  Bee  was  elected  clerk. 

It  was  voted  that  the  quarterly  meetings  should  be  held 
on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  first  Sabbath  in  the 
months  of  February,  ]May,  August,  and  November. 

At  the  regular  quarterly  business  meeting  of  the  church 
in  November,  following  the  organisation,  there  was  presented 
to  the  church  a  controversy  which  had  arisen  between 
Ephraim  Bee  and  Nathan  Davis.  This  dispute  shook  the 
infant  church  to  its  foundations,  and  planted  the  seeds  of 
trouble  for  years  to  come.  So  serious  was  it  that  at  the  regular 
meeting  in  February  next,  Ephraim  Bee  was  reklieved  of  his 
duties  as  clerk  of  the  church  until  the  unfortunate  difference 
should  be  adjusted. 

Nathan  Davis  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  and  before  him 
had  been  tried  a  suit  at  law  in  which  Ephraim  Bee  and  one 
William  I.  Lowther  were  the  principals.  Decision  was  ren- 
dered against  Ephraim  Bee,  and  a  judgment  entered  for  the 
sum  of  nine  dollars  ($9.00).  The  latter  charged  partiality  on 
the  part  of  the  court  in  favour  of  Lowther,  and  the  matter  was 
taken  to  the  church. 

The  church  referred  the  whole  matter  to  a  committee, 
which  after  a  careful  review  of  the  case,  acquitted  the  justice  of 
the  peace  of  any  charge  of  bias,  and  decided  that  due 
acknowledgment  should  be  made  him  by  his  accuser.  The 
committee  further  recommended  that  the  suggestion  of  the 
accused  justice  be  followed,  to  the  effect  that  the  case  be  tried 
again  ah  initio,  before  another  justice. 

Upon  their  request,  letters  of  dismissal  were  granted  to 
a  considerable  number  of  the  leading  members  of  the  church, 
in  February,  1835.  The  records  of  the  church  were  com- 
mitted to  safe  keeping  in  the  hands  of  William  J.  Davis,  and  the 
church  went  into  a  state  of  lethargy  for  a  period  of  more  than 
nine  years. 

There  was  a  called  meeting  of  the  church  held  August 
30,  1844,  and  the  active  work  of  the  church  resumed.  At  this 
time  Ezekiel  Bee  was  received  into  the  membership  of  the 
church,  and  invited  to  become  its  pastor.  Five  months  after- 
ward the  invitation  was  accepted,  and  he  became  one  of  its 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  175 

leading  spirits  for  several  years,  or  until  he  severed  his 
connection  to  become  a  member  of  the  newly  organised  South 
Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church. 

On  January  31,  1845,  the  Articles  of  Faith  were  aban- 
doned, and  none  were  adopted  in  their  stead  until  after  the 
second  revival  of  the  organisation  of  the  church  nearly  twenty 
years  afterward.  It  was  likewise  voted  on  May  2d  following, 
to  revise  the  covenant  of  the  church,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  for  that  purpose.  The  committee  consisted  of  Eze- 
kiel  Bee,  Josiah  Bee,  Amaziah  Bee,  and  Joseph  Jeffrey.  On 
August  I,  1845,  they  presented  their  report  which  was  adopted 
as  follows : — 

"We,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Middle  Island,  do  cove- 
nant and  agree  to  give  ourselves  to  the  Lord  and  to  each  other  by  the 
will  of  God ;  to  watch  over  and  pray  for  each  other  as  the  Lord  by  his 
grace  may  enable  us ;  and  to  be  faithful  and  punctual  in  attending  to 
Sabbath  and  church  meetings ;  and  to  be  mutual  according  to  our  abili- 
ties in  contributing  to  defray  such  expences  as  may  necessarily  devolve 
upon  us  ;  and  strive,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  to  live  peaceably  with  all 
men :  and  further  agree  that,  if  any  one  or  more  of  our  brethren  tres- 
pass against  us,  we  will  strictly  adhere  to  the  rule  given  us  by  our 
Saviour  in  Matthew  XVIII,  15-16-17;  and  to  take  the  Scriptures  for 
the  rule  of  our  faith  and  practise." 

At  the  meeting  at  which  the  new  covenant  was  adopted, 
steps  were  taken  toward  obtaining  a  deed  from  the  New 
Salem  Church  for  the  lot  owned  by  that  church  at  Lewisport. 
After  some  delay  occasioned  by  doubt  as  to  the  proper  course 
of  procedure,  the  deed  was  obtained  in  the  name  of  William 
J.  Davis,  Joshua  J.  Davis,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Amaziah  Bee,  and 
Ezekiel  Bee,  as  trustees.  A  new  fence  was  built  around  the 
graveyard,  but  the  old  log  church  which  had  already  dis- 
appeared was  never  replaced.  The  meetings  of  the  church 
were  held  for  the  most  part  in  the  homes  of  its  members,  as 
follows : —  Joseph  Jeffrey,  near  Lewisport ;  William  J.  Davis, 
on  Rock  Run  ;^  Amaziah  Bee,  at  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp 
Run,  on  Meathouse  Fork;  Ezekiel  Bee  (lower  farm),  some 
distance  below  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run;  and  Stephen 
T.  Davis,  still  further  down  Meathouse  Fork  toward  Lewis- 
port.  Meetings  were  held  frequently  at  the  school  house  at 
the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run,  within  a  few  steps  of  the  site 


I.     Known  as   "Rock   Run   Billy"   Davis. 


176    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

of  the  present  house  of  worship  of  the  Middle  Island  Church. 
This  school  house  was  built  of  hewed  logs,  and  was  one  of 
the  first  school  houses  built  in  that  part  of  the  country.  As 
early  as  1845,  the  church  had  voted  to  hold  its  quarterly 
meetings  alternately  at  Middle  Island  and  Meathouse  Fork. 

For  upwards  of  forty  years,  the  only  pastor  recognised 
by  the  records  of  the  church  was  the  one  already  mentioned, 
Ezekiel  Bee.  October  31,  1845,  ^^  ^^'^s  called  to  ordination. 
At  the  business  meeting  of  the  church  held  August  7,  1849, 
he  received  from  the  church  the  following  credentials : — 

"Doddridge  County,  Va. 
"Know  all  persons  whom  it  may  concern,  that  we  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church  of  Middle  Island  have  legally  appointed  Brother 
Ezekiel  Bee  pastor  of  our  church,  and  thereby  authorising  him  to 
administer  and  officiate  in  all  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  in  our 
church  and  elsewhere,  as  circumstances  may  require. 
"May  the  4th,  1849. 

"J[oseph]    Jeffrey,   Clerk." 

At  a  church  meeting  held  January  5,  1851,  the  following 
delegates  were  appointed  to  attend  the  convention  called  to 
meet  with  the  New  Salem  Church  for  the  organisation  of  the 
Virginia  Association,  at  the  time  of  the  division  of  the  South- 
western Association  into  the  Virginia  and  Ohio  associations ; 
viz.,  Ezekiel  Bee,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Amaziah  Bee,  Joshua  J. 
Davis,  William  J.  Davis,  Alfred  N.  Davis,  Neely  D.  Jeffrey, 
Stephen  T.  Davis,  and  Samuel  Polan. 

At  a  business  meeting  of  the  church  held  ]\Iarch  9,  1854, 
the  following  questions  were  propounded : — 

"ist.  Is  it  proper  and  right  for  a  brother  when  he  is  grieved  with 
a  brother,  to  absent  himself  from  the  church  and  neglect' to  take  Gospel 
measures  to  remove  difficulties  and  restore  peace  and  good  feeling,  and 
thereby  promote  union  and  prosperity? 

"In  answer  to  the  above  question,  the  members  present  voted  that 
it  was  not  proper  nor  right  that  a  brother  when  grieved  with  a  brother 
should  neglect  to  take  Gospel  measures  to  remove  difficulties. 

''2d.  Is  it  our  duty  as  christians  to  deal  and  traffic  in  intoxicating 
liquors,  thereby  promoting  vice  and  immorality? 

"Voted  not  our  duty. 

''3rd.  Is  it  the  privilege  of  the  christian  in  carrying  out  his  pro- 
fession to  drink  of  the  intoxicating  draught  with  habitual  drinkers, 
using  it  as  a  beverage? 

"Voted  not  the  christian's  privilege. 

"4th.     Can  we  as  christians  be  justified  in  retaining  as  members 

(11) 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH 


177 


those  brethren  who  have  gone  into  the  ways  of  the  world,  using  profane 
language,  and  engaging  in  vain  amusements,  and  combating,  without 
calling  for  reformation  ? 

"Voted  to  the  above  question  that  we  should  call  for  reformation." 

Twelve  years  afterwards,  these  questions  were  ordered 
expunged  from  the  minutes  of  the  church ;  but  they  are  inter- 
esting in  the  Hght  of  existing  conditions  imphed  by  them,  and 
also  as  marking  a  certain  type  of  activity  in  the  career  of  their 
author,  Ezekiel  Bee, — a  type  of  activity  which  was  very  marked 
afterwards  in  his  connection  with  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River,  or  the  Pine  Grove,  Church. 

The  church  had  already  entered  upon  troublous  times, 
for  previous  to  the  meeting  of  March  9,  1854,  no  meeting  had 
been  held  for  nearly  two  years  ;  and  after  this  meeting  none  was 
held  for  a  period  of  almost  fotir  years,  and  then  no  business 
was  transacted  beyond  that  of  organising  for  the  day,  and 
appointing  Stephen  T.  Davis  permanent  clerk. 

Nearly  nine  years  now  elapsed  before  any  further  record 
appears. 

On  August  10,  1866,  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made 
to  transact  business;  and  three  weeks  afterward,  August  31, 
1866,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  home  of  William  J.  Davis,  on 
Rock  Run,  when  "The  remaining  few  resolved  to  revive  the 
church,"  and  the  chtirch  entered  upon  another  stage  of  its 
existence,  which  although  more  or  less  uneven  has  contintied 
without  intermission  up  to  the  present  time. 

Previous  to  the  revival  of  the  church  in  1866,  the  following 
had  served  as  officers  of  the  church : — 
Nayne.  Term  of  Service. 

DEACONS. 

Gamble  Shannon^  Chosen  July  15,  1832. 

JosiAH  Bee,  Chosen  for  one  year.  May  i,  1846. 

Chosen  for  one  year,  August  6,  1847. 

CLERKS. 

Ephraim  Bee,  1832,  1835. 

Joseph  Jeffrey^  1834,1844 — 1852. 

Ezekiel  Bee,  Temporarily,  1848. 

Stephen  T.  Davis,  1852,  1858 — 1866. 

MODERATORS,  (Appointed  for  the  day  only). 

Joseph  Jeffrey,  1835,  1844. 

Amaziah  Bee,  1845,  1846,  1847,  1848,  1849,  1850,  1852,  1858. 

Ezekiel  Bee,  1845,  1850,  1852. 


178    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

JosiAH  Bee,  1846,  1848,   1851. 

John  D.  Bee,  1846. 

Stephen  T.  Davis,  1847,  1849,  1851. 

William  J.  Davis,  1849. 

AzoR  EsTEE,  1851. 

Alfred   N.    Davis,  1854. 

PASTOR. 

Ezekiel    Bee.     Called    to    ordination,     October    31,     1845.     Appointed 
pastor,  May  4,  1849. 

L  TREASURER. 

There  is  no  record  of  a  treasurer,  nor  of  the  need  of  any 
money,  except  as  follows : — 

"Fee  for  recording  deed  to  lot  at  Lewisport.     [Amount  not  given.] 
"Cost  of  fencing  graveyard  at  Lewisport.     Thirty  Dollars." 

MEETING   HOUSE. 

During  the  first  thirty-four  years  of  its  existence,  the 
church  made  no  palpable  effort  to  provide  itself  with  a  house  of 
worship.  Presumably  the  desire  to  possess  the  lot  and  grave- 
yard at  Lewisport  formerly  owned  by  the  New  Salem  Church, 
w^as  inspired  by  such  a  hope.  But  apparently  no  attempt  was 
ever  made  to  realise  that  hope. 

February  4,  1848,  Nathan  Davis  submitted  a  proposition 
to  the  church  oft'ering  to  give  the  church  a  site  for  a  house  of 
worship  just  across  the  creek  in  the  newly  organised 
village  of  West  Union,  which  had  been  laid  out  on  the 
lands  of  Nathan  Davis,  and  made  the  county  seat  of  Doddridge 
County.  Doddridge  County  was  formed  from  parts  of  Har- 
rison, Lewis.  Ritchie,  and  Tyler  counties  by  an  act  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  passed  on  the  4th  day  of 
Februar}^  1845.  The  interests  of  the  new  village  and  county 
were  promoted  largely  by  members  of  the  Middle  Island  and 
New  Salem  churches,  and  it  was  but  natural  that  there  should 
be  a  desire  on  their  part  for  the  Middle  Island  Church  to 
locate  in  West  Union.  But  for  some  cause,  the  offer  was 
rejected.  Nathan  Davis,  together  with  his  brothers  William 
and  Joseph,  had  purchased  twenty  thousand  (20,000)  acres  of 
land  here  in  1807  at  the  rate  of  twenty-three  cents  an  acre,  and 
at  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Middle  Island  Church 
and  for  many  years  after,  their  holdings  continued  large.  It 
was  Joseph  Davis  who  conveyed  the  lot  for  a  meeting  house 
and  graveyard  to  the  New  Salem  Church  at  Lewisport. 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH 


179 


MEMBERS. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  New  Salem  Church  held  August  19, 
183 1,  there  was  presented  the  following  list  of  members  of 
the  New  Salem  Church  who  had  joined  the  Middle  Island 
Church : — 

Ephraim  Bee, 

Lewis  Bond, 

Calvin  Davis, 

Elias  L.  Davis, 

Elisabeth   Davis,   (  i  ) , 

Elisabeth  Davis  (2)   , 

Experience  Davis, 

James  Davis, 

James  M.  Davis, 

Keziah  Davis, 

Lydia    Davis, 

Phiathata   Davis, 

William  G.  Davis, 

William  J.  Davis, 

William  S.  Davis, 

Elisabeth    How^ell, 

George  W.  Howell, 

Jonathan   Howell, 

Mariah  a.  Howell, 

Mary    Howell, 

John  Knight, 

Mary    Knight, 

Jacob  Maxson, 

James  Maxson, 

Simeon    Maxson, 

Solomon  Sayres, 

Content  Shannon, 

Gamble  Shannon, 

James  Shannon. 
On  the  day  that  the  foregoing  list  of  names  was  presented 
to  the  New  Salem  Church,  that  church  granted  letters  of  dis- 
missal to  the  following,  presumably  to  join  the  Middle  Island 
Church : — 

Robert   Alexander, 

Luther   Davis, 

Sylvester  Davis. 

On  the  twelfth  of  February  next,  the  New  Salem  Church 
granted  letters  to  the  following  also,  presumably  to  join  the 
Middle  Island  Church  :— 

Aseneth  Babcock, 

William   Babcock, 


l8o    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

Catharine  Davis, 

Edith  Davis, 

James  Davis, 

Joshua  Davis, 

Lewis  Davis> 

Mary  Davis, 

Nathan  Davis, 

Sapphira  Davis,  wife  of  William  S.  Davis, 

Mary  Hughes, 

Mary  Maxson. 

The  following  additional  names  appear  in  the  records 
prior  to  the  revival  of  the  organisation  in  1866 : — 

Amaziah  Bee, 

EzEKiEL  Bee, 

Isaiah  Bee, 

Ingaby  Bee, 

John   D.   Bee, 

Josiah  Bee, 

Priscilla   Bee, 

Alfred  N.  Davis, 

Lemuel  Davis, 

Elisabeth    Davis,  wife  of  Stephen  T.  Davis, 

Katharine  Davis, 

Rhoda  Davis, 

Sarah  Ann  Davis, 

Stephen  T.  Davis, 

Delia  Ann  Jeffrey, 

Joseph  Jeffrey, 

Neely  D.  Jeffrey, 

Tacy  Jeffrey, 

Jemima  Kelley, 

Keziah   Polan, 

Samuel  Polan. 

RE-ORGANISATION    AND    SUBSEQUENT    HISTORY, 

On  the  last  day  of  August,  1866,  there  was  a  business 
meeting  called  at  the  home  of  William  J.  Davis  on  Rock  Run, 
when  "the  remaining  few  resolved  to  revive  the  church." 
Joseph  Jeffrey  acted  as  moderator  for  the  day.  Prayer  was 
offered  by  Amaziah  Bee.  Stephen  T.  Davis  served  as  clerk. 
Amaziah  Bee  was  given  licence  "to  preach  the  Gospel  for  the 
term  of  six  months." 

Other  business  meetings  were  held  at  the  home  of  Wil- 
liam J.  Davis  on  September  19,  1866,  and  October  19,  1866, 
respectively.     On  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  first 


f"  .2 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  l8i 

Sabbath  in  December,  1866  (November  30),  a  business  meet- 
ing was  held  at  the  home  of  Joseph  Jeffrey,  near  West  Union. 
At  this  meeting  James  B.  Davis  was  received  as  a  member  and 
given  Hcence  to  preach,  for  one  year.  This  was  the  last  busi- 
ness meeting  of  the  church  held  in  the  neighbourhood  of  its 
original  location. 

Several  members  of  the  church  still  lived  at  or  near  West 
Union,  and  retained  their  membership  in  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  until  the  organisation  of  the  West  Union  Church,  in 
1888,  when  such  of  them  as  were  still  living,  became 
constituent  members  of  that  church. 

The  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  however,  lived  at  New  Milton,  on  the  Meat  House 
Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek,  some  seven  miles  above  West 
Union.  There  also  lived  at  New  Milton  several  families  which 
still  retained  their  membership  with  the  mother  church  at  New 
Salem.  These  together  with  the  members  of  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  and  other  Sabbath  keepers  residing  in  that  vicinity, 
had  maintained  worship  on  the  Sabbath  for  several  years, 
meeting  sometimes  in  private  houses,  sometimes  in  school 
houses,  and  sometimes  in  the  Township  Hall.  Many  of  these 
families  were  several  miles  apart,  and  lived  on  Red  Lick  Run, 
Wolf  Pen  Run,  Sugar  Camp  Run,  and  Lick  Run,  besides  the 
main  stream  of  Meat  House  Fork,  into  which  the  others 
flowed. 

These  people  all  united  in  building  a  house  of  worship 
for  their  common  use,  near  the  banks  of  the  Meat  House  Fork 
of  Middle  Island  Creek,  at  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run,  on 
the  line  dividing  the  farms  of  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  and 
Amaziah  Bee,  both  of  whom  contributed  land  for  the  site  of 
the  new  meeting  house. 

The  Middle  Island  Church  held  its  first  business  meeting 
in  the  new  building,  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week,  September 
5,  1867.  At  this  meeting,  James  B.  Davis,  who  had  previously 
been  appointed  a  committee  for  that  purpose,  presented  an 
expose  of  faith,  which  was  adopted.  This  meeting  was  also 
marked  by  the  report  of  a  council  which  met  that  day  to  pass 
upon  the  qualifications  of  James  B.  Davis,  who  had  been  called 
to  ordination  by  the  church.  The  council  recommended  his 
ordination. 


l82    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

The  church  was  now  fairly  launched  upon  its  new  period 
of  existence,  which  dates  from  the  very  middle  of  its  period 
of  seventy  years  of  history  embraced  in  this  book.  The  for- 
tunes of  the  church  during  the  second  period  have  ebbed  and 
flowed,  but  the  church  has  maintained  a  continual  active  life. 

MEETING   HOUSES. 

The  Middle  Island  Church  existed  for  thirty-five  years 
without  a  house  of  worship.  The  second  one  of  the  log  cabins 
erected  at  Lewisport,  by  the  New  Salem  Church,  on  the  lot 
given  it  by  Joseph  Davis,  was  already  crumbling  into  ruin  when 
the  Middle  Island  Church  was  originally  organized.  The  church 
met,  for  worship  and  business  meetings  alike,  in  the  homes  of 
its  members  at  Lewisport ;  on  Rock  Run ;  and  on  ]\Ieat  House 
Fork  in  the  Township  Hall  at  New  Milton,  and  the  school 
house  at  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run. 

A  few  years  previous  to  1830,  the  Bee  family,  consisting 
of  the  widow  of  Asa  Bee,  with  several  of  her  children,  set- 
tled on  the  Meat  House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek,  secur- 
ing the  proprietary  right  practically  to  all  the  land  from  about 
half  a  mile  above  the  mouth  of  Red  Lick  Run,  to  the  mouth 
of  Georges  Camp,  embracing  a  strip  of  land  some  four  miles 
in  length,  and  half  a  mile,  more  or  less,  in  width.  This  family 
included  Asa  (2d),  Ezekiel,  and  Amaziah,  all  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  clergymen ;  besides  Ephraim,  Josiah,  and  John  Davis, 
all  active  members  of  the  Middle  Island  and  New  Salem 
churches. 

The  Bee  family  was  soon  followed  by  the  family  of  John 
Kelley,  which,  like  the  Bee  family,  came  from  near  Salem,  New 
Jersey,  and  emigrated  thence  to  western  Virginia  after  the 
Shrewsbury  Church  had  taken  up  its  home  at  New  Salem. 
Two  of  the  sons  of  John  Kelley,  Nathan  and  Asa,  married  and 
settled,  the  former  on  Lick  Run,  and  the  latter  on  Sugar  Camp 
Run.  A  sister  of  Nathan  and  Asa  married  Samuel  Polan,  who 
embraced  the  Sabbath  and  settled  on  Meat  House  Fork. 

Here  also  came  Jepthah  Fitz  Randolph,  who  had  left  New 
Salem  in  the  spring  of  1845  a"<J  gone  to  Milton,  Wisconsin ; 
but  after  a  single  summer  spent  there,  became  dissatisfied  and 
returned  to  Virginia,  where  he  determined  to  settle  on  ]\Ieat 
House  Fork,  and  called  the  post  office  which  he  established 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  183 

and  kept  in  his  house,  New  Milton,  after  Milton,  where  he  had 
spent  the  summer  in  Wisconsin. 

Two  or  three  other  families  also  settled  here,  including 
that  of  James  Ball  Davis,  who  had  lived  for  some  time 
previously  in  Ohio. 

Some  of  these  families  were  about  equally  distant  from 
the  Aliddle  Island  Church  at  West  Union  (formerly  Lewis- 
port),  and  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  consequently  did  not 
remove  their  membership  from  the  New  Salem  Church.  The 
latter  church  maintained  a  preaching  station  at  Meat  House 
Fork,  and  when  the  question  of  building  a  new  house  of  wor- 
ship was  agitated  by  the  Middle  Island  Church,  the  members 
of  both  churches  living  on  Meat  House  Fork  evinced  a  keen 
interest  in  the  matter,  with  the  result  that  the  Middle  Island 
Church  was  removed  bodily  to  New  Milton.  The  members 
of  the  New  Salem  Church  for  the  most  part  continued  their 
membership  with  the  mother  church,  many  of  them  until  death. 
A  good  sized  group  of  these  members  of  the  New  Salem 
Church  transferred  their  membership  to  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  March  5,  1887.  At  the  present  time,  there  are  but  two 
or  three  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church  living  on  Meat 
House  Fork. 

Previous  to  October  17,  1865,  subscription  papers  had  been 
circulated  for  funds  for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship 
near  the  old  school  house  at  the  mouth  of  Sugar  Camp  Run, 
where  the  people  living  in  the  neighbourhood  had  so  often  met 
for  worship.  On  that  date  a  meeting  was  called  at  the  old 
school  house,  of  all  parties  interested.  At  this  meeting  a  build- 
ing committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Stephen  T.  Davis, 
Samuel  Polan,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  James  B.  Davis,  and 
William  Jeffrey.  This  committee  was  really  an  executive 
committee  with  plenary  powers.  William  Jeffrey  soon  moved 
away  to  Kansas,  and  at  a  meeting  held  January  28,  1866, 
Amaziah  Bee  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph  were  added  to  the 
committee ;  and  Stephen  T.  Davis  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph 
were  elected  chairman  and  secretary,  respectively,  of  the  com- 
mittee. Both  had  acted  in  these  respective  capacities  at  the 
first  meeting.  Amaziah  Bee,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  and  James 
B.  Davis  were  appointed  trustees. 

Samuel  Polan  was  elected  treasurer  of  the  committee ; 


l84    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

Amaziah  Bee.  collector;  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  general  agent; 
and  Stephen  T.  Davis,  assistant  general  agent. 

The  committee  agreed  to  let  a  contract  for  the  new  build- 
ing, and  make  themselves  responsible  personally  for  its  cost. 
To  this  end,  they  drew  up  and  executed  a  bond,  making  them- 
selves responsible,  each  to  all  the  others,  to  bear  equally  the 
expence  involved  in  the  undertaking. 

On  September  20,  1866,  the  contract  for  the  building  was 
awarded  to  Dennis  Carder,  for  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and 
five  dollars  ($205.00)  and  the  work  proceeded.  By  the  terms 
of  the  contract,  the  building  was  to  be  completed  by  January 
I,  1867.  The  time  was  afterward  extended  to  February  i, 
1867. 

The  original  plan  for  the  building  contemplated  a 
rude  sort  of  structure  called,  in  local  parlance,  a  "Yankee 
frame,"  with  the  walls  made  of  boards  one  and  a  half  inches  in 
thickness  placed  perpendicular,  and  nailed  at  the  top  to  a  trans- 
verse plank  running  lengthwise  of  the  building,  on  which  to  lay 
the  joists.  At  the  lower  end,  the  boards  were  nailed  to  the  sill. 
The  joints  in  the  walls  were  to  be  covered  by  strips  half  an 
inch  in  thickness  and  two  or  three  inches  wide,  extending  from 
the  eaves  to  the  sill.  This  was  a  style  of  building  much  in 
vogue  in  that  country  at  that  time. 

As  the  work  progressed,  the  plans  were  changed,  however, 
resulting  in  a  substantial  building,  weatherboarded  (clap- 
boarded)  without,  and  ceiled  within,  at  a  cost,  when  completed, 
of  about  six  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ($650.00). 

The  work  had  reached  a  stage  sufficiently  near  completion, 
for  the  Middle  Island  Church  to  hold  its  regular  Quarterly 
Meeting,  September  5-7,  1867,  in  the  new  house  of  worship. 
But  the  building  was  not  entirely  completed  until  sometime 
during  the  summer  of  1870. 

The  meeting  house  was  used  as  it  was  originally  contem- 
plated, not  only  by  the  Middle  Island  Church,  but  by  the  Salem 
Church  also,  for  the  use  of  its  members  living  in  that  vicinity. 
The  Salem  Church  maintained  a  regular  monthly  service  here 
until  March,  1885,  when  nearly  all  the  members  of  the  Salem 
Church  in  the  neighbourhood,  joined  the  Middle  Island 
Church. 

This  monthlv  service  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  when  not 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  185 

conducted  by  the  pastor,  was  led  by  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  a 
deacon  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  until  his  death  in  1879. 

The  above  mentioned  building  is  the  one  still  used  by  the 
Middle  Island  Church  for  a  house  of  worship.  The  old  log 
school  house  which  originally  stood  near  the  site  of  this  meet- 
ing house,  and  which  was  used  as  a  house  of  worship  for  many 
years,  was  sold  at  public  auction  to  the  highest  bidder,  after 
the  erection  of  the  meeting  house.  It  was  purchased  by  Jep- 
thah F.  Randolph  for  the  sum  of  four  dollars  ($4.00),  and 
removed  to  his  farm,  where  it  has  been  in  use  ever  since  as  a 
farm  building. 

At  a  business  meeting  of  the  Middle  Island  Church  held 
March  i,  1878,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  stake  off  a  site 
upon  which  to  build  a  house  of  worship  on  the  lot  at  West 
Union  (formerly  Lewisport),  given  to  the  New  Salem  Church, 
probably  about  18 10,  by  Joseph  Davis  for  a  churchyard  and 
graveyard ;  but  at  the  request  of  the  New  Salem  Church, 
which  never  held  a  legal  title  to  this  property,  Joseph  Davis 
conveyed  it  to  the  Middle  Island  Church  by  a  deed  dated 
March  31,  1848.  The  above  mentioned  committee 
reported  to  the  church  on  April  7,  1878,  that  a  location  for  a 
meeting  house  had  been  staked  oft',  according  to  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  church.  Here  the  matter  dropped  and  the  project 
was  not  revived  again  until  in  1889,  when  the  newly  organised 
West  Union  Church  desired  to  build  a  house  of  worship.  It 
was  decided,  however,  that  a  more  suitable  location  could  be 
found  elsewhere.^ 

The  deed  for  the  lot  at  West  Union  runs  as  follows : — 

'THIS  INDENTURE  made  the  31st  day  of  March,  in  the  year 
One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Forty-eight,  between  Joseph  Davis 
and  Hannah,  his  wife,  of  the  county  of  Doddridge,  and  State  of  Vir- 
ginia, of  the  one  part,  and  we,  Joshua  J.  Davis,  William  J.  Davis, 
Ezekiel  Bee,  and  Amaziah  Bee,  trustees,  in  behalf  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church  on  Middle  Island,  all  of  the  county  and  state  aforesaid, 
of  the  other  part, 

"Witnessefh,  That  the  said  Joseph  Davis  and  Hannah,  his  wife, 
for  and  in  the  consideration  of  the  sum  of  Fifty  Dollars,  to  them  in 
hand  paid,  the  receipt  whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged,  has  granted, 
bargained,  sold,  assigned,  enfeoffed,  released,  and  confirmed,  and  by 
these  presents  grant,  bargain,  sell,  alien,  enfeoff,  release,  and  confirm 
unto  the  above  named  trustees,  their  heirs,  and  assigns  forever,  for  the 


I.     See  chapter  on  the  West  Union  Church. 


l86    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST   VIRGINIA 

use  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  on  Middle  Island  all  that  piece 
or  parcel  of  ground  that  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Meeting  House 
formerly  stood  on,  near  the  Middle  Island  Bridge,  adjoining  lands 
deeded  by  the  above  named  Joseph  Davis  to  Samuel  Ghana ;  and  the 
lines  of  said  lot  or  parcel  of  land  run  as  follows :  Beginning  at  a  Stone, 
No.  One ;  thence  sixteen  poles  to  a  Stone,  No.  Two ;  thence  ten  poles 
to  a  Stone,  No.  Three ;  thence  sixteen  poles  to  a  Stone,  No.  Four ; 
thence  to  the  beginning  containing  one  acre,  to  have  and  to  hold  the 
above  described  tract  or  parcel  of  land  unto  the  above  named  trustees, 
their  heirs,  and  assigns  for  use  of  the  above  named  church  forever, 
with  all  appurtenances,  and  they  the  said  Joseph  Davis  and  Hannah, 
his  wife,  themselves,  their  heirs,  do  covenant  that  they  will  forever 
warrant  and  defend  the  above  described  tract  or  parcel  of  land  from 
themselves,  their  heirs,  and  assigns,  and  not  otherwise,  unto  the  above 
named  trustees,  their  heirs  and  assigns  forever. 

"In  testimony  whereof  the  aforesaid  Joseph  Davis  and  Hannah, 
his  wife,  have  hereunto  set  their  hands  and  fixed  seals  the  day  and 
year  first  above  written. 

his 
"Joseph  x  Davis/'  [Seal], 
mark 

her 
"Hannah  x  Davis/'   [Seal], 
mark 
"Signed  and  sealed 
in  the  presence  of  us. 
"Joseph  Jeffrey, 
"Tho.  S.  Neely. 

"DODDRIDGE  GOUNTY  GOURT  :— 

"We,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Thomas  S.  Neeley,  Justices  of  the  Peace  in 
the  Gounty  aforesaid,  and  State  of  Virginia,  do  hereby  certify  that 
Joseph  Davis,  party  to  a  certain  deed  bearing  date  31st  March,  1848, 
and  hereto  annexed,  personally  appeared  before  us  in  our  Gounty 
aforesaid,  and  acknowledged  the  same  to  be  his  act  and  deed  and 
desired  us  to  certify  the  same  acknowledgment  to  the  Glerk  of  the 
Gounty  Gourt  in  order  that  the  said  deed  may  be  recorded. 
"Given  under  our  hands  this  the  31  day  of  March,  1848. 

"Joseph  Jeffrey,   [Seal]. 

"Thos.   S.   Neely/'   [Seal]. 

"DODDRIDGE  GOUNTY  GOURT:— 

"We,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Thomas  S.  Neely,  Justices  of  the  Peace  in 
the  Gounty  aforesaid  and  State  of  Virginia,  do  hereby  certify  that 
Hannah  Davis,  the  wife  of  Joseph  Davis,  party  to  a  certain  deed  bear- 
ing date  the  31st  March,  1848,  and  hereunto  annexed,  personally 
appeared  before  us  in  our  Gounty  aforesaid,  and  being  examined  by  us 
privately  and  apart  from  her  husband  and  having  the  said  deed  fully 
explained  to  her,  the  said  Hannah  Davis  acknowledged  the  same  to  be 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  187 

her  act  and  declared  she  wished  not  to  retract    the  same,    and    had 

wiUingly  signed  the  same. 

"Given  under  our  hands  this  31st  day  of  March,  1848. 

"Joseph  Jeffrey,   [Seal], 
"Tho.   S.   Neely/'   [Seal]. 

"DODDRIDGE  COUKTY  COURT  CLERK'S  OFFICE,  APRIL  14, 
1848: 

"This  deed  of  bargain  and  sale  from  Joseph  Davis  and  wife  to 
Joshua  J.   Davis   and   others,   was   this    day  presented   in   the   Clerk's 
Office  aforesaid,  and  the  same  was  admitted  to  record. 
"Teste.  S.  P.  F.  Randolph,  Clk." 
''Copy  Teste.  Luther  E.  Kile,  Clerk." 
Recorded  in  Deed  Book  No.  i.  Page  286. 

The  deed  for  the  lot  where  the  present  house  of  worship 
stands  is  as  follows : — 

"THIS  DEED  made  this  31st  day  of  October  in  the  year  1865, 
between  Amaziah  Bee  and  Rhoda,  his  wife,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  and 
Deborah,  his  wife,  of  the  County  of  Doddridge  and  State  of  West 
Virginia,  of  the  first  part,  and  James  B.  Davis,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph, 
and  Amaziah  Bee,  Trustees,  and  their  successors  in  office  for  the  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptists  on  the  Meat  House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek  of 
the  county  and  state  aforesaid,  of  the  second  part, 

"Witncsseth,  That  the  said  parties  of  the  first  part  for  and  in  con- 
sideration of  the  sum  of  one  dollar,  to  them  in  hand  paid,  the  receipt 
whereof  is  hereby  acknowledged,  do  grant  unto  the  said  parties  of 
the  second  part  a  certain  lot  of  land  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the 
aforesaid  Seventh  Day  Baptists,  said  land  being  situate  on  the  Meat 
House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek,  in  the  County  and  State  afore- 
said, and  bounded  as  follows ;  to  wit.  Beginning  at  a  small  sycamore 
near  the  lower  end  of  Jepthah  F.  Randolph's  farm,  and  running  thence 
N  64  E  136  feet,  N  14  W  144  feet,  S  74  W  100  feet,  S  12  E  165 
feet,  to  the  beginning,  containing  about  72  square  poles  with  all  the 
appurtenances,  with  covenants  of  general  warranty. 
"Witness  the  following  signatures  and  seals. 

"Amaziah   Bee,  [Seal], 

"Rhoda  Bee,  [Seal], 

"Jepthah  F.  Randolph,   [Seal], 
"Deborah  F.  Randolph."  [Seal]. 

"W.  VA.,  DODDRIDGE  COUNTY,  TO  WIT:— 

"I,  A.  B.  PARKS,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  county  aforesaid 
in  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  do  hereby  certify  that  Amaziah  Bee  and 
Rhoda,  his  wife,  whose  names  are  signed  to  this  deed  bearing  date 
on  the  31st  day  of  October,  1865,  have  acknowledged  the  same  before 
me  in  my  county  aforesaid,  and  the  said  Rhoda  being  examined  by 
me  privily  and  apart  from  her  husband,  and  having  the  deed  aforesaid 


l88    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

fully  explained  to  her,  declared  she  had  willingly  executed  the  same 
and  does  not  wish  to  retract  it. 

"Given  under  my  hand  this  ist  day  of  Nov.,  1865. 

"A.  B.  Parks,  J.  P., 
"In  New  Milton  Township." 

"WEST  VA.,  DODDRIDGE  COUNTY,  TO  WIT  :— 

"I,  A.  B.  PARKS,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  county  aforesaid 
in  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  do  hereby  certify  that  Jepthah  F. 
Randolph,  and  Deborah,  his  wife,  whose  names  are  signed  to  this 
deed  bearing  date  on  the  31st  day  of  October,  1865,  have  acknowledged 
the  same  before  me  in  my  county  aforesaid,  and  the  said  Deborah 
being  examined  by  me  privily  and  apart  from  her  husband,  and  having 
the  deed  aforesaid  fully  explained  to  her,  declared  she  had  willingly 
executed  the  same,  and  does  not  wish  to  retract  it. 

"Given  under  my  hand  this  13th  day  of  Nov.  1865. 

"A.  B.  Parks,  Justice." 

PARSONAGE. 

Some  time  in  the  spring  of  1901,  while  a  series  of  revival 
meetings  was  in  progress  at  the  church  tmder  the  leadership 
of  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick,  who  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Board  of  Managers  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary 
Society,  the  question  of  building  a  parsonage  was  broached. 
The  church  had  just  accepted  the  resignation  of  its  pastor,  Rev. 
David  W.  Leath,  and  a  call  had  been  extended  to  Rev.  Darwin 
C.  Lippincott,  with  whom  the  question  of  a  suitable  home  for  his 
family  would  enter  largely  into  consideration  when  he  made  his 
final  decision  as  to  accepting  the  call. 

At  a  special  business  meeting  of  the  church  held  April  26, 
1901,  it  was  decided  to  purchase  additional  land  adjoining  the 
church  lot.  on  which  to  build  a  parsonage.  On  July  17,  1901, 
Rhoda  Bee  (widow  of  Amaziah  Bee),  Thomas  W.  Noble  and 
Keziah  Noble,  his  wife,  executed  a  deed  to  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  for  seven  and  a  half  acres  of  land  adjoining  the 
church  lot,  for  the  consideration  of  five  hundred  dollars 
($500.00). 

Already  on  June  30,  1901,  the  church  had  appointed  a 
parsonage  building  committee,  consisting  of  Rev.  Darwin  C. 
Lippincott,  Ezekiel  B.  Kelley,  Abner  J.  Davis,  Varnum  B. 
Lowther,  and  Linville  B.  Davis. 

Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott  was  appointed  chairman,  Eze- 
kiel B.  Kellev,  treasurer  of  the  committee,  and  Franklin  F. 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  189 

Randolph,  clerk.     The  committee  was  instructed  to  build  a 
parsonage,  and  was  clothed  with  power  necessary  to  do  so. 

The  committee  immediately  entered  upon  its  duties,  and 
in  a  few  months  the  parsonage,  together  with  a  barn  and  other 
like  accessories,  was  completed  at  an  aggregate  cost  of  some 
fifteen  hundred  dollars  ($1,500.00). 

GRAVEYARDS. 

In  addition  to  the  graveyard  at  West  Union  owned  by  the 
church,  there  is  another  within  a  short  distance  of  the  present 
house  of  worship,  originally  given  for  that  purpose  by  John 
Davis  Bee,  probably.  At  the  present  time,  the  owner  of  adjoin- 
ing land  surrounding  this  graveyard  is  Franklin  F.  Randolph, 
from  whom  the  church  purchased  an  additional  half  acre 
adjoining  the  graveyard  to  be  added  to  the  original  graveyard, 
at  a  cost  of  twenty-five  dollars  ($25.00).  The  deed  for  this 
addition  was  executed  May  10,  1897. 

PREACHING  STATIONS. 

As  early  as  January  i,  1845,  the  Middle  Island  Church 
decided  to  hold  its  Quarterly  Meetings  at  Middle  Island  and 
Meat  House  Fork,  alternately.  Probably  there  was  no  other 
preaching  stations  maintained  by  the  church  until  after  its  re- 
organisation in  1867.  Since  the  re-organisation,  preaching 
stations  have  been  maintained  at  various  times  by  the  church, 
on  Long  Run,  the  Bear  Fork  of  Cove  Creek  (where  the  Con- 
ings  Church  is  now  situated).  Rock  Run,  Hughes  Fork  of 
Buckeye  Creek,  and  Lick  Run.  Lick  Run  is  the  only  one  of 
these  stations  still  maintained  by  the  Middle  Island  Church. 
The  interests  at  other  points  mentioned  are  cared  for  by  other 
churches. 

PASTORS. 

The  first  pastor  of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  under  its 
re-organisation,  was  Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  who  was  called  to 
that  trust,  September  4,  1868.  He  served  the  church  for  four 
years.  Then  followed  an  interim  of  two  years  and  a  half, 
during  which  the  church  had  no  recognised  pastor,  when  Rev. 
James  B.  Davis  was  again  chosen  pastor  for  one  year  from 
March  6,  1874;  and  again  on  March  4,  1881,  he  was  chosen 
pastor  for  one  year. 

From  February  28,  1879,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  con- 
ducted the  Quarterly  Meetings  for  two  years. 


IQO    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick  was  called,  on  October  30,  1887, 
to  the  pastorate,  giving  one-half  of  his  time  to  the  Middle 
Island  Church  and  half  of  it  to  the  Greenbrier  Church. 

For  a  year  from  January  26,  1890,  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman 
conducted  the  Quarterly  Meetings. 

On  March  6,  1891,  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin  was  chosen 
pastor,  and  continued  to  give  part  of  his  time  to  the  church, 
until  ]\Iay  i,  1899,  when  Rev.  David  W.  Leath  began  his 
labours  as  pastor.  David  W.  Leath  served  for  two  years  and 
was  succeeded  on  July  i,  1901,  by  Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott, 
who  has  continued  in  that  capacity  to  the  date  of  this  writing, 
August  I,  1902.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott,  while  a  student  in 
Salem  College,  had  previously  done  service  for  the  church 
during  the  period  of  1893  to  1896. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  from  the  time  of  the  re-organisation 
of  the  church,  up  to  the  day  of  his  removal  from  the  bounds  of 
the  church  in  1890,  preached  once  a  month  and  conducted 
Quarterly  Meetings  in  the  absence  of  any  one  else  to  officiate, 
whether  he  was  pastor  or  not. 

Amaziah  Bee,  a  licentiate  member  of  the  church,  also  from 
the  date  of  the  re-organisation  for  a  period  of  some  twenty 
years,  or  until  failing  health  forbade  his  continuing  longer, 
preached  for  the  church  as  often  as  once  a  month.  He  often 
supplied  some  preaching  station  besides. 

Beginning  with  December,  1898,  Samuel  A.  Ford,  a  licen- 
tiate member  of  the  church,  preached  for  the  church  once  a 
month  for  two  or  three  years. 

In  connection  with  the  foregoing,  it  should  be  borne  in 
mind  that  the  church  has  never  had  a  pastor  who  has  given  his 
entire  time  to  the  church.  The  pastor  has  either  been  some  one 
devoting  a  part  of  his  time  to  ministerial  work,  preaching  once 
or  twice  a  month  for  a  mere  nominal  salary,  and  dependent 
upon  daily  labour  upon  a  farm  for  his  living ;  or  he  has  divided 
his  time  with  one  or  more  other  churches. 

LICENCED   TO   PREACH. 

The  records  of  the  church  show  that  the  following  were 
licenced  to  preach  : — 

August  31,  1866.  Amaziah  Bee  was  licenced  to  preach  for  a 
period  of  six  months. 


RE\^     JAMES    I'.ALL    DAVIS. 


THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH  19 1 

March  i,  1867.  Amaziah  Bee  was  licenced  "to  preach  when  and 
where  a  door  may  open." 

November  10,  1866.  James  B.  Davis  was  licenced  to  preach  for  one 
year. 

September  3,  1869.  Granville  H.  Davis  was  licenced  to  preach 
within  the  bounds  of  the  church  for  one  year. 

September  8,  1872.  Albert  Shock  was  licenced  to  preach  "when 
and  where  a  door  may  be  opened." 

March  17,  1893.  Alvin  M.  Davis  was  granted  licence  to  preach 
for  one  year,  "when  and  where  an  opportunity  may  offer  and  a  door  of 
usefulness  may  be  opened." 

September  2,  1898.  Samuel  A.  Ford  was  granted  licence  to 
preach  "wherever  opportunity  affords." 

March  2,  1900.  William  L.  Davis  was  granted  licence  to  preach 
"wherever  opportunity  offers  for  one  j'ear." 

March  i,  1901.  The  licence  of  William  L.  Davis  was  renewed  for 
one  year. 

March  i,  1867.  James  B.  Davis  was  called  by  the  church  to  ordi- 
nation; and  on  September  5,  1867,  a  council  met  with  the  Middle  Island 
Church  to  consider  the  expediency  of  the  ordination.  The  council 
was  composed  of  the  following  members : — 

From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 

Lodowick  H.   Davis, 
George  Ford, 
Richard  Ford, 
Jesse  Clark, 
Lloyd    F.    Randolph, 
Fenton  F.  Randolph. 
From  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

William   Kennedy, 
]\Ioses  H.  Davis, 
Walter   Fields   McWhorter. 
From  the  Middle  Island  Church : — 

Amaziah  Bee, 
Stephen  T.  Davis. 
The  council  recommended  the  ordination  of  the  candidate.  The 
ordination  service  was  deferred,  however,  until  early  in  the  year,  1868, 
when  it  was  conducted  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  of  the  New  Salem  Church.  In  the 
meantime,  James  B.  Davis  had  been  licenced  by  the  church  on  Decem- 
ber 6,  1867,  "to  preach  the  Gospel  of  Christ  when  and  where  a  door 
may  open." 

DEACONS. 

The  records  of  the  church  show  that  deacons  were  chosen 
and  ordained  as  follows : — 

January   4,    1867.     Amaziah    Bee    was     chosen    deacon.     He     was 
relieved  of  this  office  on  March  4,  1870. 


192    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

March  4,  1870.  Walter  Fields  McWhorter  and  William  Buckeye 
Davis  were  chosen  deacons  by  the  church,  and  were  ordained  on  the 
following  day. 

September  i,  1876.  Johnson  J.  Lowther  was  chosen  deacon,  and 
was  ordained,  December  2,  following. 

August  7,  1881.  Charles  L.  Polan  was  chosen  deacon.  He  was 
ordained  on  the  3d  of  the  following  September. 

September  6,  1889.  John  A.  Polan  was  chosen  deacon,  and 
ordained  on  December  7,  following. 

MODERATORS. 

Until  1889,  the  church  never  had  a  standing  moderator. 
The  presiding  officer  was  appointed  for  the  day  only,  on  which 
he  served.  The  regular  business  meetings  occurred  four  times  a 
year,  at  the  time  of  the  Quarter^  Meeting,  or  communion 
service. 

.  During  a  period  of  twenty-three  years,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-one  business  meetings  were  held,  of  which  one  hun- 
dred and  two  were  presided  over  by  fourteen  different  mem- 
bers of  the  church ;  sixteen  were  presided  over  by  members 
of  other  churches ;  and  of  three,  the  presiding  officers  are  not 
named. 

The  venerable  Joseph  Jeffrey,  who  had  been  one  of  the 
mainstays  of  the  church  during  the  first  period  of  its  existence, 
presided  over  four  of  the  first  five  meetings  of  the  second 
period. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis  presided  over  forty-one  meetings, 

extending  over  a  period  of    eighteen   years.     The    following 

table  serves  to  show  these  officers,  together  with  the  years  in 

which  they  served,  and  the  number  of  tiines  each  served : — 

Names.  Years  in  which  they  served.    Times  served. 


Amaziah  Bee, 

1867-71, 

12 

Granville  H.  Davis, 

1868-71, 

4 

James  B.  Davis, 

1870-84,  1886-88, 

41 

William  B.  Davis, 

1871-72,   1879, 

3 

Stephen  T.  Davis, 

1875-78,   1881, 

6 

Joseph  Jeffrey, 

1866-67, 

4 

Archibald  W.  Kelley, 

1884-86,    1889, 

7 

John  Leeson, 

1882-83, 

2 

Johnson  J.  Lowther, 

1876,1879-80,1882-83,1885 

-86, 12 

Walter  Fields  McWhorter, 

1869-70,   1875, 

3 

I.    Known  as  "  Billy  Buckeye." 

(12) 

THE  MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH 


193 


Names. 

Years  in  which  they  served. 

Times  served 

John   A.    Polan, 

1874, 

I 

Samuel  Polan, 

1869, 

I 

Franklin  Fitz  Randolph, 

1887-1889, 

5 

James  E.  Willis, 

1880, 

I 

Names. 

Years 

in  zvhic 

I  Charles  A.   Burdick, 

1872- 

2Hiram  P.  Burdick, 

1888, 

3jesse  Clark, 

1887, 

4Samuel  D.  Davis, 

1887, 

sjohn  L.  Huffman, 

1889, 

^Abram  Herbert  Lewis, 

1868, 

7Lewis  F.  Randolph, 

1877, 

105 

Non-members  of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  who  on  the 
occasion  of  visits  to  the  business  meetings  of  the  church,  were, 
out  of  courtesy,  appointed  moderator  for  the  day. 

cy  served.     Times  served. 
5 
4 
I 
,  2 

I 
I 
I 

15 
On  December  6,  1889,  the  church  elected    Franklin    F. 
Randolph  permanent  moderator  for  a  term  of  one  year,  and 
year  by  year  he  has  been  re-elected  to  that  office  up   to   the 
present  time. 

CHURCH   CLERKS. 

At  the  church  meeting  held  August  31,  1866,  when  it  was 
determined  to  resuscitate  and  reorganise  the  church,  Stephen 
Thorp  Davis,  who  had  been  elected  church  clerk,  August  26, 
1852,  served  as  clerk  again.  For  the  next  three  meetings  held 
September  14,  1866;  October  19,  1866;  and  November  30, 
1866;  Amaziah  Bee  acted  as  clerk. 

At  the  next  meeting  held  January  4,  1867,  James  Ball 
Davis  was  elected  clerk  for  the  day.  The  minutes  of  the  meet- 
ings held  March  i,  1867;  and  May  31,  1867,  are  attested  by 
Stephen  Thorp  Davis,  as  clerk. 

James  Ball  Davis  then  served  as  clerk  until  September  4, 
1868,  when  Charles  L.  Polan  was  elected  to  that  office  perma- 


1.  General   missionary   on   the   West   Virginia   Field. 

2.  Pastor   of   the   Middle    Island    and   Greenbrier   churches,   jointly. 

3.  A  deacon  in  the  Greenbrier  Church. 

4.  An   ordained   minister   in   the   Salem   Church. 

5.  Pastor   of   the   Salem    Church. 

6.  Representative  of  the   American   Sabbath   Tract   Society. 

7.  An  ordained  minister   in   the   Greenbrier   Church. 


194    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

iiently.  He  continued  to  serve  as  clerk  of  the  church  until 
February  29,  1884,  when  he  resigned  and  Linville  Bee  Davis, 
the  present  clerk,  was  elected  in  his  stead. 

On  September  4,  1885,  John  A.  Polan  was  elected 
assistant  clerk.  He,  too,  remains  in  the  service,  as  originally 
elected. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

The  Middle  Island  Church  was  admitted  to  membership 
in  the  General  Conference  at  the  annual  session  of  the  latter 
body,  at  Brookfield,  New  York,  beginning  September  6,  1832. 

There  is  no  record  of  membership  of  the  church  in  the 
Western  Association,  and  none  of  membership  in  the  old 
South-Western  Association.  But  upon  the  organisation  of  the 
Virginia  Association  in  1851,  the  Middle  Island  Church 
appears  as  one  of  its  constituent  members. 

Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  A'irginia  Association,  the  ]\Iid- 
dle  Island  Church  remained  without  associational  connection 
until  the  organisation  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  in 
1872,  when  the  church  became  a  constituent  member  of  the 
new  body,  with  which  it  has  always  remained  in  harmony. 


jr¥Vir¥Tr¥vvir*Tr*Tr¥Tr¥Tr¥>Tr¥Tr¥Tr¥Tr«>Tr¥Tr¥Tr«Tr¥T^ 

»r¥Tf¥Vvir¥ir¥Tr¥ir¥ir¥"¥>Tr¥Tfvvinir¥Tnf¥Tr¥Tr¥Trinr¥T^ 

sr¥^ir¥Tr*Tr*>V»r¥Tf  vv¥^  v¥ir*^>nr¥Vinr¥Tf  vvir¥Tr¥Tnr¥~¥^^        vw 

!ir¥Tf¥ir>r¥^irwTr¥Vvvifir¥¥TfVvirir¥Tr¥ir¥Tr¥Tr¥vvir*^vir¥^ 

vv>r¥Tr¥TfV¥ir¥Tr*^v¥Tr¥^ifir¥Tr¥Tfifir¥^ir¥Tr¥Tr¥Tr¥Tr*Tnrir¥if^ 

ijnf¥Tnrinr*Tr¥Tr*^virir¥¥infinfinir¥Tr¥^innr¥Tnfinr^ 


X. 


NORTH  FORK  OF  HUGHES  RIVER 
CHURCH. 

^nonnnnr^^  the    records     of     the 

Ji^^^^^^^f^^^^]^  North     Fork     of     Hughes     River 

virifvv                         xv*  Church     were     never     more     than 

wirxvir         H^m       vvir  extremelv    meagre ;    and    whatever 


D 


vvviTJf         I     9       vvv     there  may  have    been,    have    long 
J^J^^  ^Jinf     since    disappeared    from    view    and 

TM^wwwwwwvwv     been  forgotten. 

innnnf'¥¥¥VV¥'*^  As    a    natural    consequence,    the 

y¥¥¥¥¥¥¥¥"*^¥¥¥¥¥'^¥     story  of  the  church  must  be  woven 

from  mere  fragments,  gathered 
from  sources  as  widely  scattered,  as  they  are  strangely  diversi- 
fied. 

The  church  is  really  but  a  memory  today,  and  that  mem- 
ory, reluctant  and  sluggish  at  best,  is  taxed  to  its  utmost  to 
recall  anything  of  the  history  of  the  church ;  for  there  are  but 
mere  fleeting,  elusive  touches,  here  and  there,  to  serve  as  land- 
marks whereby  such  a  memory  may  be  compelled  to  yield 
up  its  secrets. 

The  material  for  the  following  very  brief  history  of  the 
church  has  been  gathered  principally  from  letters  written  by 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  to  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  while  he 
was  engaged  in  missionary  labour  in  West  A'irginia ;  from  the 
Autobiography  of  Alexander  Campbell;  from  the  minutes  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference;  from  the  min- 
utes of  the  old  South-Western  Association,  as  well  as  the 
Virginia  Association ;  from  the  records  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church ;  from  the  Sharpless  Genealogy;  and  from  various  other 
sources,  including  the  memories  of  people  now  living. 

The  result  is  by  no  means  satisfactory,  but  it  is  the  best 
that  can  be  secured  from  available  trustworthy  material. 


196    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS   IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

This  church  centres  around  the  history  of  one  man,  Lewis 
Bond,  who  was  born  in  Cecil  County,  ]\laryland,  February  16, 
1780.  He  was  one  of  a  family  of  fifteen  children.  His  father, 
Richard  Clayton  Bond,  was  born  in  the  same  county  in  1727 
or  1728. 

About  the  year  1800  or  1801,  Richard  Clayton  Bond  emi- 
grated with  some  six  of  his  children,  to  that  part  of  Harrison 
County  in  West  Virginia,  now  included  in  the  bounds  of  the 
Lost  Creek  Church.    Here  he  died  in  the  year  1819. 

Lewis  Bond,  who  was  about  twenty  years  of  age  when  his 
father  moved  to  western  Virginia,  was  married  October  15, 
1805,  to  Lydia  John,  of  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  daugh- 
ter of  John  John  and  Elisabeth  David,  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
Enoch  David  of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church. 

In  1813,  Lewis  Bond  with  his  family  removed  to  Brook- 
ville,  Indiana.  In  1816,  some  three  years  before  the  death  of 
his  father,  he  returned  to  western  Virginia,  and  settled  on 
the  head  waters  of  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  about  five 
miles  above  the  present  village  of  Toll  Gate,  which  is  a  few 
miles  west  of  the  present  village  of  West  Union  in  Doddridge 
County,  and  not  far  from  the  present  village  of  Pennsboro  in 
Ritchie  County. 

Lewis  and  Lydia  Bond  had  eleven  children.  They  were 
as  follows : — 

Alfred  J.,  married  Pamela  Allen. 

Edwin  Passmore,  (M.  D.  and  Rev.),  married  Louisa  John. 

Ethelbert  D.  (M.  D.  and  surveyor ).i  Married  daughter  of 
Captain  Nathan  Davis.  Lived  at  West  Union,  Doddridge  County, 
Virginia. 

Benjamin  Franklin,  married  Frances  Nicholson,  and,  for  his 
second  wife,  Adelia  Coon.  AdeHa  Coon  was  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
Stillman  Coon,  of  Milton,  Wisconsin. 

Rebecca  E.,  married  William  P.  Bond. 

Thomas,  died  in  an  insane  asylum. 

Cassandra,  married  Simeon  Bond. 

Richard  C,  married  Eliza  Bliven. 

Mary  Ann,  married  Thomas  Boothe  Bond. 

Lydia,  married  Daniel  D.  Kildow. 


I.  Ethelbert  D.  Bond  was  the  surveyor  who  laid  out  the  village  of  'West  Union, 
the  county  seat  of  Doddridge  County,  when  it  was  established  by  an  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  passed  in  February,  1S45.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  establishing  the  West  Union  Academy, 'as  related  in  the 
chapter  on  the  IVesi  Union  Academy. 


NORTH  FORK  CHURCH  197 

At  his  home  on  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  Lewis 
Bond  was  visited  by  the  missionaries  sent  to  western  Virginia 
by  the  Missionary  Board  in  its  early  operations,  as  related  in 
a  subsequent  chapter  on  Missions. 

As  a  result  of  one  of  the  visits  of  Alexander  Campbell  in 
1833,  a  church  was  organised  here  in  that  year,  consisting  of 
some  eight  or  nine  members,  of  whom  four  were  Lewis  Bond 
and  his  wife,  and  his  son  Ethelbert  and  his  wife.  The  remain- 
ing members  of  the  church  were,  in  all  probability,  other 
members  of  Lewis  Bond's  family. 

Lewis  Bond  was  appointed  deacon  and  ordained  to  that 
office.  He  was  also  licenced  to  preach,  and  served  for  many 
years  as  the  pastor  of  the  church.  His  son  Ethelbert  D.  Bond 
was  the  clerk  of  the  church. 

In  1837,  the  church  became  a  member  of  the  Western 
Association,  which  had  been  but  recently  organised,  at  its 
annual  session  held  with  the  church  at  Alfred,  New  York,  in 
June  of  that  year.  At  that  time  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes 
River  Church  consisted  of  nine  members  and  for  the  past  year, 
had  neither  increased  nor  decreased  in  membership.  In  its  com- 
munication to  the  Western  Association  requesting  membership 
in  that  body,  the  church  said,  "We  desire  your  prayers  for  us,  a 
small  branch,  that  we  may  extend  as  the  watered  tree,  far  and 
wide." 

By  virtue  of  its  membership  in  the  Western  Association, 
the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  became  a  member  of 
the  General  Conference.  But  there  is  no  record  of  the  church 
ever  having  reported  directly  to  Conference. 

When  the  South- Western  Association  was  organised  in 
1839,  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  was  one  of  its 
constituent  members,  and  its  deacon  and  pastor,  Lewis  Bond, 
presided  as  moderator  at  the  first  annual  session  of  that  asso- 
ciation. He  was  also  honoured  with  the  appointment  as  dele- 
gate from  that  association  to  the  next  annual  session  of  the 
Western  Association. 

In  1839  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  reported 
a  membership  of  seven.  With  the  exception  of  the  years 
1841  and  1842,  the  church  reported  regularly  to  the  South- 
western Association  until  1845,  ^vhen  it  reported  for  the 
last  time.     When  the  Virginia  Association  was  organised  in 


198    SEVENTH   DAY   BAPTISTS  IN    WEST    VIRGINIA 

185 1,  by  the  division  of  the  South-Western  Association  into 
the  Virginia  and  the  Ohio  associations,  the  North  Fork  of 
Hughes  River  Church  was  extinct. 

On  March  13,  1857,  Lewis  Bond  and  his  wife,  Lydia, 
appHed  for  membership  in  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  as  they  had 
moved  to  Quiet  Dell  in  the  bounds  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 
They  were  accepted  as  members  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
and  Lewis  Bond  was  continued  as  a  deacon  and  a  licentiate  in 
that  church.     He  died  April  14,  1867. 


g^H  a  n  nn  nnnan  h_k  k  a^a  a  **_**?  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a^a  a  a  ajx  a  a  a  a  a  aa  ai 
EV"^  i^  Iw-V  H  y  •>  ■  ^^  %>  V  «  Vc^  ^i^  IkV  a  yV  ^1^  VV  a  y^  ^(^  iwi^'  a  y^"  ^  %  V  a 
E •»  r^^-l  *■  a  J  r-C'^T  Va  .^  r^^^  V  a  .^  i-C'^-i  V a  .^  rs^i^  V  a .^  r-Tt^^  «-,  a 

iOTir =^ '  :v  a  v^.V  ?r  •=^.  f  :v  a\#;i?r^.  -  :v  »  ^'■.  .T'-=^  ^':v  « >*''r-n^  .-^v  a  .*!,5-^  -  cv  a 
S'^/JL;  J<  ':r  a  'V'  iL:;i'  ':^  a  'V'iLj:^,*' T  a  y.'  iL-.i  'J^  a  ;V'  ib^^'f'  a  ^^'i;  J,'' '^  a, 
IK'-,  U^^J r  a  -»  Lr-;,>J  r  a  -»  L,-;^ «-  a  ^  L-%rJ  c  a  -»  U-;r J  r  a  -»  l--;r>J  r  a 

E>^5^  .<*/,  a  X-^i.  5^  .'•X  a  X^  "*^>X  a  >.•..  5^  .cj^  a  X^iJ  '^^  .'•X  a  X*'":  ^f'  .■*J^11 
E^aM^a^a  aa  a  a__a  a^aa  a^a  a_aa_a_a  a  a  a  a_a_a  aa 


XI. 


SOUTH  FORK  OF  HUGHES  RIVER,  OR 
PINE  GROVE,  CHURCH. 

|IIIaaIaaaaI^m«lHE  records  of  this  church  begin  as 

fe  a  a  a  a  a  aja.;a.aa  a  aa&aaal  •fr^11n\%:c  • 

Eaaaa^    " Egg  lOllOWS . 

[a  a  a  a  a'  [a  a  a'  <.t  r> 

lafltl  lai  "January  the  25TH,  1842. 

[aaaaa  f    |  ^         aaa              ''Whereas,    We,     the     Seventh     Day 

aaaaa  ■  aaa                                                                      _,. 

aaaaa  ■  aaa      Baptist    Church    of   the    South    Fork    of 

la  a  a  a  a  ■  "a  a  a 

la  a  "a  a  a  -**- 


aaa      Hughes  River  do  deem  it  our  indispen- 

S  S  S  S  S  2  2¥     sible  duty  to  show  to  the  rising  genera- 

laaaaa aaa  ■^  <=>  ■j 

|aa  aa  a  a  a  a  aa  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a      tion  a  statistical  account  of  the  rise  and 
[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa'  r    .^  ■       1         1.      .1 

[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa;      progress    of   this    church    to    the    present 

lililMmiSSIMI     ^^^^'   t^''^  following  record  is  made]  :- 

"By  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  and 
perusing  the  Word  of  God,  we  saw  it  to  be  our  indispensible  duty 
to  follow  our  Saviour  into  the  liquid  grave ;  and  in  the  year  1833, 
there  were  immersed  by  Elder  Peter  Davis,  nine ;  namely, 

''George  Starkey, 

"Sarah   Starkey, 

"Decatur  Lowther, 

"Jonathan  C.  Lowther, 

"John    C.    Starkey, 

"Rebecca  Lowther, 

"Margaret  Lowther, 

"jMary  Lowther, 

"Dorinda  Lowther. 
"By  carefully  and  prayerfully  perusing  the  Bible,  we  saw  that  we 
were  living  in  violation  of  the  Fourth  Precept  of  the  Decalogue  by 
observing  the  First  Day  of  the  week  for  the  Sabbath  in  preference  to 
the  Seventh,  which  we  clearly  discovered  to  be  a  violation  of  God's 
moral  government  of  the  universe. 

"Whereupon,  Being  determined  to  follow  God  in  all  His  fast 
requirements  contained  in  His  Word,  upon  the  first  Seventh  Day  [of 
the  week]  in  June,  1834,  we  changed  our  practise  from  the  observance 
of  the  First  Day  of  the  week,  to  the  Seventh,  for  the  Sabbath. 

"Upon  the  13th  day  of  July,  1834,  we  were  constituted  a  church  by 
Elder  Peter  Davis,  upon  the  Word  of  God;  being  truly  convinced  that 
all  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God  and  is  profitable  for  doc- 


200      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

trine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruction  in  righteousness,  that 
the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thereby  furnished  unto  all  good  works, 
agreeable  to  the  constitution  to  which  our  names  are  annexed,  which 
reads  thus : — 

"constitution. 

"July  the  13TH,  1834. 
"We  who  have  heretofore  been  convinced  of  the  error  of  our  ways 
and  the  folly  of  sin,  and  the  kindness  and  love  of  a  Saviour  to  a  dying 
world,  and  thereby  have  been  made  willing  to  follow  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ  in  all  of  his  requirements,  do  therefore  this  day 
covenant  together  to  watch  over  each  other  for  good  and  serve  each 
other  in  love,  and  take  the  Word  of  God  for  the  rule  of  our  faith  and 
practise. 

"George  Starkey, 

"Decatur  Lowther, 

"Jonathan  C.  Lowther, 

"John  C.  Starkey, 

"Rebecca  Lowther, 

"Margaret  Lowther, 

"Sarah  Starkey, 

"Mary  Lowther, 

"DoRiNDA  Lowther." 

This  church  originally  composed,  wholly,  of  the  members 
of  two  families  who  were  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  sprang  into 
existence  through  the  labours  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell, 
who  had  visited  Lewis  Bond  on  the  North  Fork  of  Hughes 
River,  not  far  from  the  present  village  of  Pennsboro.  While 
there,  Alexander  Campbell  held  a  series  of  revival  meetings, 
and  as  a  result  there  were  some  conversions  to  the  Sabbath. 
After  his  departure  to  Quiet  Dell,  one  of  the  preaching  stations 
of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  a  local  clergyman  by  the  name  of 
Tichnell,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  challenged  any 
one,  who  would,  to  discuss  the  Sabbath  question  publicly. 
Contrary  to  the  Reverend  Mr.  Tichnell 's  expectation,  Alex- 
ander Campbell  returned  and  accepted  the  challenge.  The 
debate  was  attended  by  a  large  audience,  many  of  them 
coming  from  a  distance  of  several  miles.  Among  the  throng 
were  those  who  embraced  the  Sabbath  and  were  organised 
into  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church. 

For  a  period  of  five  years,  the  church  no  more  than  held 
its  own.  On  May  7,  1839,  Asa  Bee  was  received  into  mem- 
bership, and  soon  afterward  assumed  the  leadership  of  the 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH  20I 

church.  Others  joined  the  church,  some,  like  Asa  Bee,  coming 
from  other  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  ;  and  others,  Hke  the 
original  members,  were  converts  to  the  Sabbath. 

For  the  first  thirty-four  years  of  the  history  of  the  church, 
its  records,  never  very  full,  are  extremely  meagre.  From  June 
17,  i860,  to  February  12,  1868,  no  record  whatever  appears. 
For  many  years  the  proceedings  of  the  business  meetings  of 
the  church  were  kept  a  profound  secret,  and  members  who 
violated  this  secrecy  were  subjected  to  severe  discipline. 

Alany  perplexing  questions  arose  respecting  doctrine  and 
church  polity.  These  questions  involved  articles  of  diet  and 
manner  of  dress  as  well  as  church  control  of  family  govern- 
ment and  discipline.  In  short  here  an  attempt  was  made  to 
apply  the  provisions  of  the  Mosaic  law  governing  the  domestic 
life  of  the  early  Hebrews  to  American  Seventh  Day  Baptists, 
in  the  middle  of  the  nineteenth  century  of  the  Christian  Era, 
irrespective  of  the  changed  conditions  of  modern  civilisation 
and  radically  different  racial  instinct,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
profound  differences  between  the  Christian  and  Hebrew 
religions.  The  result,  as  might  have  been  expected,  was  a 
grotesque  failure. 

On  February  2S,  1842,  Asa  Bee  and  Joshua  S.  Davis  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  "make  a  thorough  examination  of 
scriptural  evidence  and  intuitive  reasons  why  we  keep  our 
church  meetings  secreted  from  the  world,"  and  report  at  the 
next  church  meeting. 

March  23,  185 1,  it  was  voted  to  submit  the  following 
questions  to  the  Virginia  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Association,  at 
its  next  session,  to  be  held  at  Middle  Island  at  the  house  of 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph: — 

"i.     What    is    our     duty     toward    christian     professors     of    other 

denominations  ? 
"2.     Is  it  christian  duty  to  hold  any  office   whatever    under    the 

political  government?" 

On  August  15,  1852,  the  church  voted  to  submit  the 
following   questions   to   the   association : — 

"i.     What  is  our  duty  in  supporting  the  ministers  of  the  gospel? 
"2.     Is  it  right  for  professors  to  marry  un-professors?" 

March  20,  1853,  it  was  voted  that  communion  service  be 


202      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

held  once  in  twelve  months  "on  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  first 
Jewish  month";  i.  e.,  on  the  evening  of  the  Passover. 

April  3,  1859,  Rev.  Asa  Bee  announced  that  the  church 
was  "not  organised  according  to  the  will  of  God,"  anc 
presented  the  following  questions  for  consideration : — 

"i.     Who  among  us  are  elders? 

"2.     What  is  their  office? 

"3.     The  office  of  Bishop. 

"4.     Who  are  elderly  women ;  i.  e.,  female  elders,  and  their  office  ? 

Young  men  and  their  office. 

Young  women  and  their  office. 

Children  and  their  office." 

Taken  all  in  all,  although  the  church  for  the  greater  part 
of  its  existence,  was  under  the  leadership  of  Asa  Bee  and  his 
brother  Ezekiel,  both  of  whom  were  men  of  marked  mental 
ability,  as  well  as  men  of  sincerity  of  purpose,  such  questions 
as  the  foregoing,  taken  in  connection  with  such  interpretation 
of  Holy  Writ  as  gave  rise  to  such  queries,  were  bounteously 
fruitful  of  discord. 

In  1870,  this  spirit  of  dissension  resulted  in  a  split  in  the 
South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  and  the  organisation 
of  the  Ritchie  Church.  This  precipitated  a  life  and  death 
struggle  between  the  two  opposing  churches.  The  Ritchie 
Church  received  recognition  at  the  hands  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  General  Conference,  as  well  as  at  the  hands  of  the 
South-Eastern  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Association,  when  the 
latter  was  organised  in  1871. 

The  mother  church  steadily  lost  ground,  and  when  after 
a  decade  had  passed  after  the  organisation  of  the  Ritchie 
Church,  the  Pine  Grove  Church  (as  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River  Church  came  to  be  called)  gave  one  of  its  members, 
Alpheus  A.  Meredith,  permission  to  distribute  among  its 
membership,  tracts  containing  the  doctrines  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Adventists,  its  doom  was  sealed.  Two  years  afterward, 
on  February  22,  1883,  ten  members  were  excommunicated  for 
affiliating  with  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists ;  and  the  book  of 
records  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  or  Pine  Grove, 
Church  passing  into  the  hands  of  one  of  the  excommunicated 
members,  was  closed  forever,  although  a  few  more  meetings 
were  held  before  the  final  absorption  of  the   remaining  few 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH  ■     203 

members  into  the  Ritchie  Church,   as   described   in   the   next 
chapter. 

DISTINCTIVE     TENETS     OF    FAITH    AND    PRACTISE.  ^ 

This  church,  in  its  effort  to  promote  simpHcity  of  Hfe, 
placed  a  premium  upon  lack  of  personal  adornment  and 
beauty,  and  almost  upon  discomfort.  Dress,  particularly  that 
of  the  women,  was  made  after  certain  uniform  patterns, 
approved  if  not  prescribed  by  the  old  men  of  the  church.  The 
result  was  attire  often  so  ungainly  and  grotesque  as  not  only 
to  make  the  wearers  objects  of  ridicule,  but  to  incite  them  to 
rebellion  against  ecclesiastical  authority  as  well,  so  that  they 
were  often  excommunicated  from  the  church  for  violating  the 
lules  of  prescribed  fashion  in  dress  as  laid  down  by  the  councils 
of  the  church.  This  one  thing,  perhaps  more  than  anything  else, 
retarded  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  the  church. 

Rules  for  dress  in  which  the  dead  must  be  clothed,  even 
to  minute  directions  as  to  the  style  of  the  coffin  and  the 
material  of  which  it  was  to  be  constructed,  were  established. 

In  the  event  of  marriage,  the  trousseau  of  the  bride  and 
the  dress  of  the  groom  were  described  in  the  code  of  the 
church.  Both  were  to  be  arrayed  in  white,  all  except  their 
shoes  or  boots.  The  bride  should  not  wear  a  cap,  nor  any  other 
article  of  ornament. 

Certain  rules  relating  to  courtship  were  prescribed  and 
insisted  upon  by  the  church,  with  the  result  that  infractions 
of  them  were  the  subject  of  frequent  disciplinary  action  by  the 
church. 

Parental  control  of  children  was  transferred  to  the  church, 
and  on  many  an  occasion,  the  church  was  called  upon  to  con- 
sider the  complaints  of  parents  concerning  unruly  sons  and 
daughters. 

In  their  effort  to  follow  the  mandates  of  the  Mosaic  law, 
the  flesh  of  swine  as  food,  was  placed  under  ban.  Mutton 
and  beef  tallow  took  the  place  of  lard  in  cooking.  A  few  of 
the  more  well-to-do  used  olive  oil. 

If  a  father  died,  his  family  was  committed  to  the  care  of 
the  church,  and  his  property  to  the  supervision  of  its  elders. 


I.  This  brief  statement  of  "Distinctive  Tenets  of  Faith  and  Practise,"  in 
based  upon  personal  statements  made  to  the  present  writer,  by  former  members 
of  this   church. 


204      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

"Investigating  meetings"  were  frequently  held.  These 
lasted  continuously  from  early  in  the  morning  until  late  in  the 
afternoon,  the  people  coming  and  going  constantly ;  some  for 
purposes  of  consultation,  others  for  refreshments,  and  others 
for  the  performance  of  duties  at  home.  Subjects  of  all  kinds 
were  discussed,  from  female  underwear  to  doctrines  of  eternal 
damnation  and  endless  happiness. 

Great  stress  was  laid  upon  the  word  "peculiar"  in  the 
following  and  similar  passages  from  the  Bible : — 

"The  Lord  hath  chosen  thee  to  be  a  peculiar  people  unto  himself, 
above  all  the  nations  that  are  upon  the  earth."     Deut.  XIV,  2. 

"And  the  Lord  hath  avouched  thee  this  day  to  be  his  peculiar 
people."    Deut.  XXVI,  18. 

"But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priesthood,  a  holy  nation, 
a  peculiar  people."     i   Peter  II,  9. 

By  "peculiar,"  they  understand  that  something  bizarre, 
grotesque,  or  odd  was  meant. 

To  the  idea  of  a  "peculiar"  people,  they  added  the  many 
w^arnings  of  the  Bible  against  mingling  with  the  world.  The 
result  was  that,  in  their  minds,  God's  chosen  peculiar  people 
must  in  no  sense  identify  themselves  with  the  world,  even  in 
that  which  pertained  to  food  and  clothing,  and  other  habits 
of  life  common  to  everybody. 

These  strange  doctrines  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River  Church  were  not  only  extremely  Puritanical, — ultra- 
Puritanical, — but  Puritanism  gone  grotesquely  mad. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  was  one  of  the 
constituent  members  of  the  South-Western  Association  at  the 
organisation  of  that  association  in  1839;  and  when  the  South- 
Western  Association  was  divided  into  the  Ohio,  and  Virginia 
associations,  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  became 
a  constituent  member  of  the  Virginia  Association  at  its 
organisation  in  1851. 

When  the  South-Eastern  Association  was  organised  in 
1872,  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  did  not  apply 
for  membership.  The  steps  which  finally  led  up  to  a  formal 
application  of  this  church  for  membership  in  that  association, 
and  the  process  by  which  it  was  merged  into  the  Ritchie 
Church,   are   set   forth   in   the   next   chapter    of    this    book 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH  205 

under  the  sub-title,  "Consolidation  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River,  or  Pine  Grove,  Church  with  the  Ritchie  Church." 

The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Conference  by  virtue  of  its  membership  in 
the  South-Western  Association,  in  1839.  On  account  of  the 
doctrinal  differences  between  this  church  and  the  other 
churches  of  the  denomination,  however,  it  gradually  drifted 
away  from  the  General  Conference,  and  for  a  good  many 
years  before  its  final  dissolution,  it  had  really  withdrawn  from 
fellowship  with,  not  only  the  General  Conference,  but  all 
other  Seventh  Day  Baptist  organisations. 

PASTORS. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis,  who  baptized  the  constituent  members 
of  the  church  and  organised  them  into  a  church,  visited  them 
from  time  to  time  as  often  as  his  duties  with  the  New  Salem 
Church  and  the  distance  of  the  new  church  from  his  home  on 
Greenbrier  Run  would  permit.  Other  ministers,  also,  visited 
the  church  from  time  to  time.  Of  these,  Asa  Bee,  and  his 
brother  Ezekiel  Bee,  were  doubtless  the  most  frequent 
visitors. 

Asa  Bee,  who  had  previously  moved  into  the  neighbour- 
hood, was  received  into  this  church,  j\Iay  7,  1839.  On  January 
24,  1842,  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  He 
accepted  the  call  for  a  period  of  six  months.  On  the  29th  of 
the  following  August,  he  was  elected  pastor  for  an  indefinite 
period,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  his  death.  He  was 
generally  known  as  "The  Elder,"  and  is  constantly  called  by 
that  name  in  the  records  of  the  church. 

On  March  22,  1857,  the  church  granted  Asa  Bee  the  privi- 
lege of  inviting  Ezekiel  Bee,  at  that  time  living  on  Meat 
House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek,  but  who  expected  to 
locate,  in  the  near  future,  within  the  bounds  of  the  South  Fork 
of  Hughes  River  Church,  to  labour  with  the  church  at  such 
times  as  might  be  most  expedient. 

June  21,  1868,  Ezekiel  Bee  became  the  pastor  of  the 
church. 

Marcus  E.  Martin  was  called  to  become  the  assistant 
pastor  of  the  church  for  a  term  of  one  year  from  March  19, 
1876,  at  a  salary  of  fifty-two  dollars  ($52.00)  a  year. 
Previous  to  this  time,  the  pastor  had  served  without  pay. 


2o6      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   JIRGINIA 

On  the  i6th  of  June,  1878,  Ezekiel  Bee  requested  the 
church  to  appoint  a  committee  to  look  for  a  pastor.  The 
church  compHed  with  the  request,  and  on  the  14th  of  July  fol- 
lowing, Alpheus  A.  Meredith  became  pastor  and  served  until 
October  i,  1880. 

LICENCED   TO   PREACH. 

On  December  24,  1843,  the  church  voted  that  Joshua  S. 
Davis  be  granted  licence  to  preach,  and  appointed  Asa  Bee 
to  write  the  licence  and  deliver  it  to  the  candidate.  The 
licence  runs  as  follows : — 

"May  II,  1844. 

"Knozi'  all  men  to  zvhom  these  may  be  presented,  That  we,  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of  Christ,  on  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River,  of  Ritchie  County,  and  State  of  Virginia,  do  authorise  our 
Brother  Joshua  S.  Davis  to  go  forth  and  preach  the  Gospel  of  the 
Blessed  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  to  perform  all  the  duties  required  of 
him  in  the  Gospel. 

"Signed  in  behalf  of  the  church  by 

"Asa  Bee,  A  Preacher  of  the  Gospel. 

"Recorded   this   fifth   day   of   October,    1845." 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  the  church  granted  licence  to 
preach  as  follows  : — 

June  21,  1868.  Job  Meredith  was  appointed  to  exhort  and  labour 
publicly  in  this  church. 

December  20,  1874.  Marcus  E.  Martin  was  licenced  to  preach  for 
six  months. 

May  16,  1875.  Alpheus  A.  Meredith  was  licenced  to  preach  till 
the  next  Quarterly  Meeting. 

June  20,  1875.     John  Ehret  was  licenced  to  exhort. 

April  7,  1878.  Alpheus  A.  Meredith  and  Marcus  E.  Martin  were 
ordained  to  preach. 

July  14,  1878.  Zebulon  Bee  was  licenced  to  preach  for  a  term  of 
six  months. 

December  21,  1879.  Zebulon  Bee's  licence  was  renewed  for  one 
year. 

DEACONS. 

The  records  of  the  church  contain  the  following  entries 
concerning  deacons : — 

"November  25,   1844.     Jesse  M.  Lowther  appointed  deacon. 

"December  21,  185 1.  Jesse  M.  Lowther  released  from  serving  as 
deacon,  at  his  own  request. 

"March  21,  1858.  After  considering  whether  the  church  had  need 
of  a  deacon,  it  was  decided  afifirmatively,  but  the  selection  of  some 
one  to  fill  that  office  was  deferred. 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH 


207 


"June   21,    1868.     Jonathan    C.    Lowther   appointed    deacon. 

"September  19,  1869.  Jonathan  C.  Lowther  was  released  from 
serving  as  deacon,  and  Hezekiah  D.  Sutton  appointed  in  his  stead. 

"October  31,  1881.  John  Ehret  appointed  assistant  deacon  for  six 
months. 

"December  18,  1881.  Jonathan  C.  Lowther,  who  had  again  been 
appointed  deacon,  was  released  from  further  service  at  his  own 
request." 

MODERATORS. 

The  moderator  was  known  by  various  terms ;  as  "modera- 
tor," "foreman,"  and  "president." 

With  the  exception  of  a  single  meeting,  Asa  Bee  served 
as  moderator  from  May  7,  1839,  to  January  25,  1841,  when 
Joshua  S.  Davis  was  elected  permanent  moderator.  How  long 
Joshua  S.  Davis  served  in  this  capacity  is  not  known,  but  he 
was  succeeded,  presumably,  by  Asa  Bee,  for  the  latter  was 
relieved  from  that  ofHce  at  his  own  request,  on  February  12, 
i860,  and  Jonathan  C.  Lowther  appointed  in  his  stead.  From 
this  time  forward,  we  find  the  following  alternating  with  each 
other  in  serving  as  "moderator  for  the  day" : —  Rev.  Ezekiel 
Bee,  Job  Meredith,  Alpheus  A.  Meredith,  and  Marcus  E. 
Martin. 

Davis  N.  Meredith  was  appointed  permanent  moderator 
on  November  15,  1874,  and  on  the  3d  of  January  following, 
John  Ehret  was  appointed  assistant  moderator. 

Ezekiel  Bee  appears  as  moderator  for  the  last  time,  on 
IMarch  17,  1878.  On  June  22,  1879,  Davis  N.  Aleredith  was 
released  from  further  services  as  inoderator,  and  on  the  20th 
of  the  following  month,  John  Ehret  was  appointed  as  his 
successor,  and  presumably  served  until  the  final  disintegration 
of  the  church. 

CHURCH  CLERKS. 

Although  the  church  was  organised  in  June,  1834,  no 
records  of  the  business  meetings  of  the  church  were  kept  until 
May  7,  1839,  when  Joshua  S.  Davis  was  appointed  clerk  for 
the  day.  He  was  re-appointed  from  meeting  to  meeting,  alter- 
nating from  time  to  time,  with  Jonathan  C.  Lowther  and  Asa 
Bee,  until  November  30,  1840,  when  Jonathan  C.  Lowther 
was  appointed  standing  clerk  of  the  church. 

The  record  concerning  the  organisation  of  the  church 
was  written  by  Asa  Bee,  from  loose  papers  in  possession  of 


2o8      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

various  members  of  the  church,  and  approved  by  the  church 
at  a  business  meeting  held  August  29,  1842. 

Jonathan  C.  Lowther  served  as  clerk  of  the  church  until 
May  29,  1843,  when  he  vacated  the  office.  His  brother  Jesse 
M.  Lowther  succeeded  him  by  appointment  under  date  of  July 
6,  1844,  and  served  until  his  death,  November  15,  1855. 

The  next  clerk  under  permanent  appointment,  of  whom 
there  is  a  record,  was  Josiah  Bee,  appointed  June  22,  1873. 

On  April  7,  1878,  Jonathan  C.  Lowther  again  became 
permanent  clerk  of  the  church,  and  apparently  served  until 
the  date  of  the  last  record  in  the  book,  February  22,  1883. 

Asa  Bee,  Jr.,  was  appointed  assistant  clerk  March  20, 
1853.     How  long  he  served  does  not  appear. 

During  the  various  interims  between  the  terms  of  office 
of  the  different  permanent  clerks,  several  members  of  the 
church  acted  as  clerk  temporarily.  Among  these  were  Otho 
P.  Zinn,  Jonathan  C.  Lowther,  Zebulon  Bee,  William  Jett,  and 
Davis  N.  Aleredith. 

MEETING    HOUSES. 

For  many  years  after  its  organisation,  the  church  held  its 
meetings  for  worship  and  business  alike  in  private  houses,  the 
homes  of  its  members. 

On  March  23,  185 1,  the  church  adopted  the  following 
resolution : — 

^'RESOLVED,  That  we  put  up  a  frame  [meeting  house],  thirty 
feet  long  and  twenty  feet  wide,  one  story,  thirteen  feet  high,  with  a 
partition  of  three  leaves  at  or  near  the  middle  of  the  house,  to  be 
raised  and  let  down  at  pleasure;  with  two  doors,  one  in  the  end 
designed  for  a  school  room,  the  other  door  in  the  other  end  of  the 
house  by  the  side  of  the  pulpit,  it  [the  pulpit]  also  being  in  the  other 
end.  Four  twelve-light  windows  in  the  school  room,  [the  panes  of 
glass  to  be]  8"xio",  one  in  each  end  of  the  house,  and  one  on  each  side 
of  the  door  in  the  end.  Three  windows  in  the  other  room,  one  in  each 
side  with  twelve  lights  [each  pane  of  glass  to  be]  8"xio",  and  one  over 
the  pulpit  with  nine  lights,  8"xio"  each,  in  size. 

The  building  was  completed  in  less  than  two  years,  as  will 
be  observed  from  the  following  action  of  the  church,  under 
date  of  December  19,  1852: — 

"Being  compelled  to  hold  our  meetings  in  private  houses  heretofore 
for  the  want  of  a  more  suitable  place,  but  now  blessed  of  God  with  a 
house  prepared  for  that  purpose, 

(13) 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH 


209 


"RESOLVED,  Therefore,  That  we  meet  at  the  frame  school  house 
in  the  Pine  Grove  to  hold  all  our  public  meetings  hereafter." 

The  lot  on  which  this  building  was  erected  was  purchased 
of  Asa  Bee,  but  the  church  did  not  receive  a  deed  for  it  until 
May  21,  1871,  when  trustees  were  appointed  by  the  church  to 
receive  the  deed  for  the  church  lot  and  graveyard. 

The  church  used  this  building,  which  served  the  double 
purpose,  for  a  long  while,  of  meeting  house  and  school  house, 
until  1875.  On  October  17  of  that  year,  the  church  voted  to 
build  anew,  and  on  the  28th  of  the  next  November,  the  dimen- 
sions were  fixed  as  follows : — 

"House  to  be  twenty-six  feet  wide,  by  thirty-six  feet  long,  thirteen 
feet  in  height  to  the  square,  and  to  have  two  aisles  and  two  doors.  The 
ceiling  overhead  to  be  left  to  the  building  committee  as  to  whether 
it  shall  be  arched  or  not." 

The  church  committed  this  work  to  a  building  committee 
with  power,  and  gave  it  two  years  in  which  to  complete  the 
work.  The  work  appears  to  have  been  completed  about  as 
planned,  with  the  exception  of  the  seating,  which  was  not 
finished  until  November,  1880. 

The  meeting  house  and  graveyard  of  the  Pine  Grove 
Church  passed  into  the  possession  of  the  Ritchie  Church  after 
the  consolidation  of  the  two  churches. 

SCHOOL. 

As  previously  set  forth,  the  first  meeting  house  erected  by 
the  church  was  designed  for  use  as  a  school  house,  as  well  as 
a  house  of  worship.  This  of  course  antedated  the  public  free 
school  system,  which  was  not  inaugurated  here  until  after  the 
events  of  the  Civil  War  had  separated  West  Virginia  from  the 
Old  Dominion. 

The  school  was  under  the  strict  management  of  the 
church,  and  at  times,  at  least,  members  of  the  church  were 
commanded  by  that  body  to  prepare  themselves  for  teaching 
at  some  specified  future  time. 

MEMBERS. 

A  list  of  members  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River, 
or  Pine  Grove,  Church,  compiled  from  the  records  of  the 
church,  with  the  date  of  admission,  or  the  date  when  the  name 
first  appears,  is  as  follows : — 


2IO      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Bee,  Albert,  son  of  John  D., 

Bee,  Allen,  appears  as  a  member, 

Bee,  Almira,  dau.   of  Asa, 

Bee,  Angelina,  dau.  of  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Arthur  G.,  son  of  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Arthur  G.,  Jr., 

Bee,  Asa, 

Bee,  Asa,  Jr., 

Bee,  Azor  Estee,  son  of  John  D., 

Bee,  a.  Z., 

Bee,  B.  Wilson,  son  of  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Charles  W. 

Bee,  Cordelia, 

Bee,  C.  R.,  appears  as  a  member. 

Bee,  Elm  a. 

Bee,  Elisabeth,  wife  of  Zebulon, 

Bee,  Elisabeth,  dau.  of  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Elisabeth  Ann, 

Bee,  Elisabeth, 

Bee,  Eudolpheus,  son  of  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Ezekiel, 

Bee,  Ezekiel,  Jr., 

Bee,  Hannah,  wife  of  Asa, 

Bee,  Hannah,  wife  of  Jeremiah, 

Bee,  Ingaby,  wife  of  John  D., 

Bee,  Ira.,  son  of  John  D., 

Bee,  Jerusha, 

Bee,  Joel,  son  of  John  D., 

Bee,   Josiah,   son   of   Ezekiel,    appears   as 

member, 
Bee,  Josiah,  Jr., 
Bee,  John  Nelson, 
Bee,  Kosannah, 
Bee,  Lear  V., 
Bee,  Loami,  son  of  Asa, 
Bee,  Luhama,  dau.  of  John  D., 
■Bee,  Mary  A., 
Bee,  Mary, 

Bee,  Olive  E.,  dau.  of  Zebulon, 
Bee,  Ozina  M.,  dau.  of  Zebulon, 
Bee,  Perdilla,  wife  of  J.  Nelson  Bee, 
Bee,  Priscilla,  dau.  of  B.  Wilson  Bee, 
Bee,  Priscilla,  dau.  of  Asa, 
Bee,  Sally, 

Bee,  Sedilla,  dau.  of  Ezekiel, 
■Bee,   Stephen, 
Bee,  Zebulon,  son  of  Asa, 
Bond,  Emeline  wife  of  Richard  E., 


June  20, 
April  7, 
February   25, 


1881    or 


May   7, 
March  2, 


November    15, 
December  22, 

June    19. 

1881    or 

January    19, 

January  14, 
January  14, 
January  — , 
February    12, 

1881   or 

May  7, 

July   12, 

Nov.   or   Dec, 

1881    or 


June  22, 

1881 

1881 

November  — 
November  — 
March  2, 

April  26, 
January    14, 
April  26, 
January  — , 
January    14, 
March  23, 

1881 

November  - 
April    26, 

1881 

January  19, 
July   -, 


or 
or 


SOUTH  FORK  CHURCH 


211 


Bond,  Luther  H.,  son  of  Richard  E., 

Bond,  Martha,  dau.  of  Richard  E., 

Bond,  Richard   E., 

Collins,  Cynthia,  appears  as  a  member, 

Collins,   Sylvester, 

Davis,  Arzander, 

Davis,  Daniel  W., 

Davis,  Dorinda,  2d  wife  of  Ziba, 

Davis,  Dorinda,  dau.  of  Joshua  S., 

Davis,  Francis  M., 

Davis,  Hannah,  wife  of  Joshua  S., 

Davis,  Isaiah  B.,  son  of  Stephen, 

Davis,  Johnson,  son  of  Ziba, 

Davis,  Joshua  S., 

Davis,  Leander, 

Davis,  Lemuel,  son  of  Joshua  J., 

Davis,  Philotheta,  dau.  of  Ziba, 

Davis,   Phineas   R.,  son  of  Lemuel, 

Davis,  Rhoda,  wife  of  Lemuel, 

Davis,  Sabrina,  dau.  of  Ziba, 

Davis,  Talitha,  dau.  of  Ziba, 

Davis,  Ziba, 

Ehret,  Elisabeth, 

Ehret,  Hannah  M., 

Ehret,  John, 

Ehret,  William  F., 

Goodwin,   E.   A., 

Goodwin,  Henry   H., 

Halbert,  Prine, 

HoFF,  Eri, 

Hoff,  Malinda, 

Jett,  William,  name  appears, 

Jones,  Joshua  E., 

Kelley,  Ai  G.,  son  of  Ezekiel, 

Kelley,  Catharine  L., 

Kelley,  Estella,  wife  of  Ezekiel, 

Kelley,  Ezekiel, 

Kelley,  Ruanna, 

Lowther,  Catharine  R., 

Lowther,   Celina, 

Lowther,  Decatur,  son  of  Elias, 

Lowther,  Dorinda,  dau.  of  Elias, 

Lowther,     Elias,     name     appears     as     a 

member, 
Lowther,  Emza  M.,  wife  of  Jonathan  C, 
Lowther,  Jesse  M.,  son  of  Elias, 
Lowther,  Jonathan   C,  son  of  Eilas, 
Lowther,  Lucinda,  wife  of  Jesse  M., 


July 


April   26, 
February    22 


June   21, 
January    21, 
April    13, 

January    21, 
July  6, 
June  21, 
February    25 
July  6, 
June  21, 
February   25 
February    25 
April   26, 
February  25, 
March  23, 

April   13, 
March  21, 


1869, 

-  1857, 
1868, 
1883, 

or  1882, 
1868, 
1876, 
1850, 

-  1857, 
1876, 

1843, 
1868, 
1850, 

1843, 
1868, 

,  1847, 
1850, 
1868, 

1847, 
1850, 

-  1857, 
1850, 

187s, 


April  26,      1868, 

1857, 

January,       1875 
Nov.  or  Dec,  1872, 

1881  or  1882, 

188 1, 

or  1882, 
187s, 
187s, 
1868, 
1868, 
1857, 

-  1857, 

-  1857, 
1868, 

-  i8S7, 


March   18, 

1881 

March    21, 
March    21, 
June   21, 
June   21, 
July   12, 


April  26, 


Constituent  member, 

Constituent  member, 

May   7,  1839, 
February   21,        1850, 

July  6,  1843, 

Constituent  member, 

August  31,  1844, 


212      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 


LowTHER,  Mandane,  dau.  of  Jesse  M., 

LowTHER^   Margaret, 

LowTHER,  Mary, 

LowTHER,  Rebecca,  dau.  of  Jonathan  C, 

LowTHER,  SiMiLDE  J.,  dau.  of  Jcsse  M., 

Lowther,  Sophronia,  dau.  of  Jonathan  C, 

LowTHER,  Stillman  F.,  son  of  Jesse  M., 

LowTHER,  Thomas  H.,  son  of  Jesse  M., 

LowTHER,  William  W., 

Martin,  Marcus   E., 

Meredith,  Alpheus  A.,  son  of  Job, 

Meredith,  Davis  N.,  son  of  Job, 

Meredith,   Edith,    {nee   Pepper),  wife   of 

Davis  N., 
Meredith,  Elmina,  dau.  of  Job, 
Meredith,  Harriet,  dau.  of  Job, 
Meredith,  Jane,  dau.  of  Job, 
Meredith,  Job,, 
Meredith,  John, 

Meredith,  Marshall,  son  of  Job, 
Meredith,  Mary  Ann,  wife  of  Job, 
Pritchard,  Mary,  appears  as  a  member, 
Richards,  Isaac  H., 
Richards,  John  W., 
Stalnaker,  Levi,  name  appears, 
Starkey,   George, 
Starkey,  John  C, 
Starkey,  Rebecca, 
Starkey,  Sarah, 
summerville,  rosanna, 
Sutton,  Dorinda,  dau.  of  Hezekiah  D., 
Sutton,  Francis  M.,  son  of  Hezekiah  D., 
Sutton^  H.\nnah  J.,  wife  of  Hezekiah  D., 
Sutton,  Hezekiah  D., 
Sutton,  Lovey  J.,  dau.  of  Hezekiah  D., 
Sutton,  Martin,  son  of  Hezekiah  D., 
ZiNN,  Adeline,  dau.  of  Otho  P., 
ZiNN,  Angelina,  dau.  of  Otho  P., 
ZiNN,  Elisabeth,  dau.  of  Otho  P., 
ZiNN,  Nancy,  wife  of  Otho  P., 
ZiNN,  Otho  Preston,  (died  May  31,  1857), 


1857, 

Constituent  member, 
Constituent  member, 
Constituent     member, 

1857, 


1657, 

April  26, 

1868, 

1857, 

April  26, 

1868, 

April   26, 

1868, 

April  26, 

1868, 

March   16, 

1873, 

December    19, 

1880, 

1857, 

1857, 

18S1   or 

1882, 

November    3, 

1844, 

tJ^St    nr 

1882 

1857, 

November   3, 

1844, 

December  21, 

185 1, 

January    21, 

1876, 

January    21, 

1876, 

June   20, 

1869, 

Constituent     member, 

Constituent     member, 

December    21, 

1840, 

Constituent     member, 

April    7, 

1878, 

January  — , 

1875. 

January    — , 

1875. 

June  21, 

1868, 

1857. 

April    26, 

1868, 

April    26, 

1868, 

1857, 

1857, 

1857, 

September  22, 

1850, 

September   22, 

1850, 

XII. 


THE   RITCHIE  CHURCH. 


cm 


HE   records   of   the   Ritchie    Church 
begin  as  follows : — 

"In  1834  there  was  an  organisation 
of  S[eventh]  D[ay]  B[aptist]  members 
on  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  in 
Ritchie  County,  brought  together  by 
Elder  Peter  Davis,  which  run  for  a 
season;  but  in  the  course  of  time,  it 
came  under  the  leadership  of  some  who 
taught  obedience  to  the  Ceremonial 
Law,  and  enforced  on  the  church,  con- 
trary to  the  faith  of  the  Denomination,  abstinence  from  certain  meats, 
peculiarities  of  dress,  and  urged  that  the  church  should  be  governed 
by  elders  exclusively;  which  led  to  dissatisfaction  with  a  number  of  the 
membership,  and  members  of  other  churches  moving  into  the  bounds 
of  the  church,  and  several  received  baptism  who  could  not  conscien- 
tiously unite  with  said  church ;  and  at  different  times  efforts  being  made 
for  a  reconciliation  and  all  failing,  it  was  thought  (after  prayerful 
consideration)  that  it  was  best  to  move  toward  an  organisation  that 
would  be  in  unison  with  the  Denomination. 

"Accordingly,  there  was  a  call  made  for  the  brethren  to  meet  at 
Brother  Ziba  Davis's  on  the  seventh  day  of  August,  1870." 

Besides  other  visitors,  this  meeting  was  attended  by  Rev. 
Walter  B.  Gillette,  who  at  that  time  was  visiting  the  churches 
in  West  Virginia  under  the  direction  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society.  Rev.  James  B.  Davis  of  the 
Middle  Island  Church  was  also  in  attendance,  as  were  nineteen 
others  who  expressed  a  desire  to  become  members  of  the 
proposed  new  church. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis  acted  as  chairman  of  the  meeting, 
and  William  Jett  was  made  clerk. 

A  committee  w^as  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and 
by-laws  for  the  government  of  the  church. 


214      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

An  invitation  was  extended  to  all  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  churches  in  West  Virginia,  except  the  Pine  Grove 
(formerly  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River)  Church, 
from  which  the  majority  of  the  members  of  the  new 
church  seceded,  to  send  delegates  to  meet  in  council  with  the 
seceding  brethren  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  before  the 
third  Sabbath  in  September,  at  nine  o'clock,  a.  m. 

Another  meeting  was  held  on  August  22,  at  which  the 
committee  appointed  at  the  previous  meeting  for  that  purpose, 
presented  a  report  embodying  a  constitution  and  by-laws  for 
the  government  of  the  church.     The  report  was  adopted. 

In  accordance  with  the  invitation  extended  on  the  7th  of 
August  preceding,  a  council,  composed  of  delegates  from  the 
Middle  Island,  New  Salem,  and  Lost  Creek  churches  convened 
on  September  16,  1870,  to  consider  the  request  of  the  Ritchie 
brethren  to  be  organised  into  a  church. 

The  delegates  in  attendance  were  as  follows : — 
From  the  Middle  Island  Church: — 
Rev.  James  B.  Davis, 
Granville  H.  Davis, 
William  B.  Davis, 
Absolom  Davis. 
From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 
Rev.  Jacob  Davis, 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph, 
Lewis  F.  Randolph, 
Jesse  Cl.\rk, 
JuDSON  F.   Randolph, 
Lloyd  F.  Randolph, 
From  the   Lost   Creek   Church : — 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis, 
Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette, 
John  M.  Batten. 
From  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society: — 

Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette. 
From  the  Ritchie  brethren : — 
William  Jett, 
William  F.  Ehret, 
Ziba  Davis, 
Stephen  C.  D.wis, 
Levi  Stalnaker. 
The  council  organised  by  electing  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis, 
moderator ;  Jepthah   F.   Randolph,   secretary ;  and   Lewis   F. 
Randolph,  assistant  secretary. 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH 


215 


After  some  discussion,  the  council  decided  to  organise  a 
church ;  and,  to  that  end,  accepted  the  expose  of  faith,  and  the 
church  covenant  previously  adopted  by  the  temporary 
organisation  of  August  22,  preceding. 

At  the  session  of  the  council  held  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
same  day  that  the  council  first  convened,  the  formal  organisa- 
tion of  the  church  took  place.  The  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis,  after  which  recognition  was  accorded  the 
members  of  the  new  church  by  the  imposition  of  hands  and 
prayer  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  and  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette, 
followed  by  the  right  hand  of  fellowship  given  by  the  members 
of  the  council. 

On  the  following  day.  Sabbath,  John  Ehret  and  Ziba  Davis 
were  ordained  deacons,  and  baptism  was  administered  to  one 
candidate  for  church  membership. 

CONSTITUENT   MEMBERS. 

JosiAH   Bee, 

EZEKIEL    KeLLEY, 

William  F.  Ehret^ 
Sarah  A.  Ehret, 
John  Ehret, 
Elisabeth  Ehret, 
Ziba  Davis, 
DoRiNDA  Davis, 
William  Jett, 
SoPHRONiA  E.  Jett^ 
Jane  Davis, 
Richard  Bond, 
Emeline  Bond, 
Levi  Stalnaker, 
DoRiNDA   Stalnaker, 
Jacob  Ehret, 
Joanna  Ehret, 
Jemima  Davis, 
Luther  H.  Bond, 
Jeremiah  Bee, 
Stephen  C.  Davis, 
Thomas  N.  Gribble, 
Talitha   C.   Gribble, 
Tacy  Jane  Bee, 
M.   Homer  Morrison, 
Mary  Morrison. 

This  list  was  made  up  as  follows : — 

II  from  the  Pine  Grove  Church, 


2i6      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

6  from  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
4  from  the  New  Salem  Church, 
2  from  the  Middle  Island  Church, 

1  from  the  First  Day  Baptists, 

2  baptized,  not  members  of  any  church  previously;  total,  26. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

The  Ritchie  Church  was  a  constituent  member  of  the 
South-Eastern  Association,  at  its  organisation  in  1872.  It  was 
received  into  the  General  Conference,  at  the  annual  session  of 
the  latter  body,  held  with  the  church  at  Adams  Centre,  New 
York,  in  September,  1871. 

MEETING    HOUSES    AND    PARSONAGE. 

At  the  outset,  the  newly  organised  Ritchie  Church  clearly 
perceived  the  significance  of  the  step  they  had  taken,  and  lost  no 
time  in  taking  the  preliminary  measures  necessary  for  provid- 
ing themselves  with  a  house  of  worship.  On  the  22d  of 
October,  1870,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  select  a  suitable 
site,  and  erect  upon  it  a  house  of  worship. 

This  committee  proceeded  with  its  work  by  careful 
stages,  receiving  additional  instructions  from  time  to  time. 
January  27,  1871,  it  received  authority  from  the  church  to  pur- 
chase a  lot  suitable  for  a  burying  ground.  Accordingly  a  lot 
was  purchased  adjoining  the  burying  ground  of  the  mother 
church. 

On  the  14th  of  May,  1871,  the  church  voted  to  accept  an 
offer  from  Richard  Bond,  one  of  the  members  of  the  church, 
to  give  half  an  acre  of  land  to  the  church  upon  which  to  build 
a  house  of  worship.  This  site  was  situated  "on  the  upper  end 
of  A.  Ivl.  Wade's  farm,"  on  Otter  Slide,  a  small  stream  flowing 
into  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  a  short  distance  above 
Berea. 

The  committee  now  proceeded  with  the  active  work  of 
erection,  and  reported  to  the  church,  July  10,  1874,  that  the 
new  house  of  worship  had  arrived  at  the  stage  of  completion 
required  of  the  committee,  and  asked  to  be  discharged.  The 
request  was  granted,  and  the  interior  of  the  house,  which  had 
not  been  finished,  remained  in  that  state  until  on  April  9,  1881, 
when  the  church  voted  to  finish  it,  and  appointed  a  committee 
for  that  purpose.  The  committee  completed  its  work,  and  the 
finished  house  of  worship  was  dedicated  on  the  First  Day  of 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH 


217 


the  week  following  the  second  Sabbath  in  January,  1882.  The 
dedicatory  service  was  conducted  by  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph, 
at  that  time  pastor  of  the  church.  The  dedicatory  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney.  On  February  10,  1882, 
the  committee  reported  the  completed  building  paid  for. 

On  the  20th  of  August,  1896,  the  church  purchased  of 
Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager,  the  house  and  lot  at  that  time  occupied 
by  him,  lying  in  the  bend  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River, 
just  below  the  mouth  of  Otter  Slide  Creek.  This  property 
was  purchased  for  a  parsonage,  and  remains  the  property  of 
the  church,  to  be  used  for  that  purpose. 

On  October  24,  1897,  the  surviving  members  of  the 
original  Pine  Grove,  or  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  Church, 
met  and  organised  for  the  transaction  of  business.  They  then 
proceeded  to  make  a  formal  transfer  of  the  property  of  that 
church,  consisting  of  the  meeting  house  and  the  lot  upon 
which  it  stood,  and  a  graveyard,  to  the  Ritchie  Church.  The 
Pme  Grove  Church  then  adjourned,  sine  die,  leaving  the 
Ritchie  Church  in  possession  of  the  two  houses  of  worship,  as 
well  as  the  two  graveyards. 

PASTORS. 

On  the  day  of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  September 
16,  1870,  the  church  called  as  its  pastor  Rev.  James  B.  Davis, 
his  term  of  service  to  begin  on  October  22,  following.  James 
B.  Davis  lived  at  New  Milton,  near  the  Middle  Island  Church, 
and  visited  the  Ritchie  Church  once  a  month,  preaching  on 
Sabbath  and  visiting  for  a  day  or  two  preceding  Sabbath  and 
a  day  or  two  afterward.  He  served  the  church  faithfully  in 
this  manner  until  November  24,  187 1,  when  he  severed  his 
connection  with  the  church. 

The  church  was  now  left  without  a  pastor,  and  on  April 
21,  1872,  it  invited  Levi  Stalnaker,  a  lay  member  of  the  church, 
who  had  previously  been  licenced  to  preach,  to  supply  the  pul- 
pit. He  accepted  the  invitation,  and  continued  to  act  as  a  pul- 
pit supply  until  June,  1874.  On  the  12th  of  that  month,  the 
church  completed  an  arrangement  with  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  of 
Greenbrier,  to  become  its  pastor,  visiting  the  church  once  a 
month.  He  served  as  pastor  of  the  church  in  this  way  until 
July  9,  1875.     He  served  a  second  term  from  July  7,  1876  to 


2l8      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Jvily  13,  1877.  He  then  visited  the  church  at  frequent  inter- 
vals until  the  fall  of  1880. 

On  the  loth  of  October,  1880,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph, 
of  Greenbrier,  accepted  a  call  to  become  the  pastor  of  the 
church,  devoting  about  half  of  his  time  to  that  work. 
This  relation  was  continued  harmoniously  until  May  ii,  1883, 
when  he  terminated  his  relations  with  the  church  to  accept  a 
call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Second  Hopkinton  Church  of  Rhode 
Island. 

June  3,  1883,  the  Ritchie  Church  extended  a  call  to  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis  of  Jane  Lew  to  visit  the  church  once  a  month. 
The  call  was  accepted,  but  at  the  end  of  four  months,  he 
declined  to  serve  longer,  as  the  church  was  at  too  great  a 
distance  from  his  home  to  be  reached  easily. 

On  the  i8th  of  May,  1884,  the  church  extended  a  call  to 
Rev.  Charles  W.  Threlkeld,  at  that  time  of  Alfred,  New  York, 
to  become  the  pastor  of  the  church.  He  accepted  the  call  and 
began  his  labours  with  the  church  in  the  following  October. 
He  remained  with  the  church  for  one  year. 

Rev.  Amos  W.  Coon,  of  Alfred,  New  York,  was  invited 
by  the  church,  on  April  4,  1886,  to  visit  that  field.  He  accepted 
the  invitation  and  subsequently  received  a  call  to  become  the 
pastor  of  the  church.  He  declined  to  accept  the  call,  but 
remained  and  preached  for  the  church  for  several  months. 

On  the  8th  of  October,  1886,  Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church.  This  call  was  accepted, 
dating  from  March  i,  1887.  He  remained  with  the  church 
until  August  of  the  following  year,  when  he  relinquished  the 
work  on  account  of  ill  health. 

On  October  12,  1888,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Horace 
Stillman  of  Ashaway,  Rhode  Island.  This  call  was  declined, 
and  on  January  11,  1889,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Orpheus 
S.  Mills,  who  accepted  the  call  and  soon  afterward  entered 
upon  his  pastoral  labour  in  the  church.  He  remained  with  the 
church  for  a  period  of  two  years. 

On  the  last  day  of  April,  1892,  the  church  extended  a 
call  to  William  H.  Brown  of  Missouri  to  become  its  pastor. 
The  call  was  accepted,  and  he  soon  afterward  began  his 
labours  with  the  church.  The  relation  was  summarily  termi- 
nated by  the  church,  August  26,  following,  because  Mr.  Brown 


KEV.    LELV    DANIEL  S EAGER. 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH 


219 


had  accepted,  and  taught,  the  doctrines  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Adventists. 

The  church  now  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  John  L.  Huff- 
man, to  become  its  pastor,  but  he  was  .not  available.  On 
November  7,  1892,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Lely  D. 
Seager,  who  was  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
to  become  the  pastor  of  the  church.  The  latter  accepted  the 
call,  and  remained  with  the  church  for  six  years.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Riley  G.  Davis,  a  licentiate  member  of  the  Green- 
brier Church,  and  at  that  time  a  student  in  Salem  College.  Mr. 
Davis  entered  upon  his  new  duties  the  first  of  June,  1899,  and 
on  the  22d  of  October  following,  he  was  called  to  ordination 
by  the  Ritchie  Church.  The  ordination  took  place  November 
25,  1899.  The  following  clergymen  were  present  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  ordination  service : —  Theodore  L.  Gardiner, 
the  president  of  Salem  College,  who  conducted  the  public 
examination  of  the  candidate  and  preached  the  ordination  ser- 
mon; Darwin  C.  Lippincott,  the  acting  pastor  of  the  Salem 
Church,  who  offered  the  consecrating  prayer ;  and  David  W. 
Leath,  the  pastor  of  the  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier,  and  Black 
Lick  churches,  who  delivered  the  charge  of  ofifice  to  the 
candidate. 

LICENCED  TO  PREACH. 

Levi  Stalnaker  received  licence  to  preach,  at  the  hands  of 
the  church,  October  22,  1870.  By  action  of  the  church,  this 
licence  expired  November  13,  1874.  It  was  renewed  again 
January  9,  1890. 

April  II,  1884,  the  church  recommended  to  Miss  Ozina 
M.  Bee  that  she  "improve  her  gift." 

August  4,  1901,  George  Amos  Brissey  and  Erlow  Sutton 
were  both  granted  licence  to  preach  for  one  year.  On  July 
II,  1902,  this  licence  was  renewed  for  one  year,  for  both. 

July  7,  1883,  the  church  took  the  following  action: — 

"Whereas,  It  has  come  to  our  hearing  that  Sister  Experience  F. 
Randolph  has  decided  to  prepare  herself  for  the  ministry,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  most  heartily  approve  of  her  decision, 
and  we  promise  her  our  sympathies  and  prayers." 

DEACONS. 

On  the  day  of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  John  Ehret 
and  Ziba  Davis  were  chosen  deacons,  and  the  following  day 


220      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

they  were  ordained  to  the  solemn  duties  of  that  office.  John 
Ehret  severed  his  connection  with  the  Ritchie  Church,  how- 
ever, on  January  17,  1873,  in  order  to  return  to  the  mother  (the 
Pine  Grove)  church. 

Asa  F.  Randolph  received  a  call  to  become  a  deacon,  July 
10,  1874,  and  was  ordained  on  the  loth  day  of  the  following 
October,  at  the  hands  of  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  and  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis. 

October  8,  1880,  Elisha  J.  Maxson  was  chosen  to  serve  as 
an  acting  deacon.  He  was  never  ordained,  and  was  relieved 
of  the  office  on  May  11,  1883,  having  rendered  acceptable 
service  to  the  church  during  the  emergency. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  1887,  Flavins  J.  Ehret  was  chosen 
deacon,  and  was  ordained  in  the  following  July  at  the  time  of 
the  regular  Quarterly  Meeting. 

Eudolpheus  J.  Bee  was  chosen  as  an  assistant  deacon, 
January  19,  1892 ;  but  he  was  not  ordained. 

April  8,  1892,  Joshua  S.  Bond  was  chosen  deacon ;  and 
August  26,  1892,  Ellsworth  F.  Randolph  was  called  to  the  same 
office.     They  were  both  ordained  July  15,  1894. 

Elva  Maxson  v.-as  elected  deacon,  October  22,  1899.  He 
was  solemnly  consecrated  to  that  office  on  the  25th  of  the 
following  November,  at  the  same  time  that  Riley  G.  Davis  was 
ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry. 

MODERATORS. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  was 
present  at  the  first  meeting,  called  August  7,  1870,  at  the 
house  of  Ziba  Davis  to  consider  the  propriety  of  organising  a 
new  church,  and  presided  as  moderator. 

The  second  meeting,  held  the  22d  of  August,  was  presided 
over  by  Ziba  Davis. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  presided  as  moderator  over  the 
council  which  met  September  16,  1870,  to  organise  the  church. 

On  October  22,  1870,  at  the  first  business  meeting  of  the 
church  after  the  organisation  was  completed,  William  F. 
Ehret  was  elected  moderator.  He  served  in  that  capacity 
until  his  death,  nearly  ten  years  afterward. 

On  July  12,  1880,  Flavins  J.  Ehret  succeeded  to  the  office 
of  moderator,  made  vacant  but  a  few  months  previous  to  that 
time,  by  the  death  of  his  father.     He  served  until  he  severed 


RZV.    PERIE    R.    liL'RDICK. 
(I"  rir.crly    Rev.    Experience    Fitz    Randolph). 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH  221 

his  connection  with  the  Ritchie  Church,  nearly  twelve  years 
afterward,  to  join  the  Salem  Church. 

On  April  8,  1892,  Ellsworth  F.  Randolph  was  elected 
moderator  and  he  continues  to  serve  in  that  capacity  at  the  date 
of  this  writing,  August  i,  1902. 

CHURCH  CLERKS. 

October  22,  1870,  at  the  first  business  meeting  of  the 
church  after  its  organisation,  William  Jett  was  elected  church 
clerk.  He  served  until  January  7,  1881,  when  he  presented  his 
resignation  to  the  church,  but  served  until  the  following 
October,  thus  completing  eleven  years  of  faithful  service. 

Ellsworth  F.  Randolph  was  elected  clerk,  October  7,  1881. 
He  in  turn,  w^as  succeeded  by  his  brother,  Alva  F.  Randolph, 
September  5,  1884.  The  latter  served  until  October  8,  1886, 
when  he  too,  resigned.  On  January  7,  1887,  Emza  F.  Ran- 
dolph was  elected  his  successor,  and  served  until  October  12, 
1888,  when  she  also  resigned. 

On  October  28,  1888,  Leonard  F.  Jett  became  clerk,  and 
has  served  continuously  to  the  present  time. 

THE    CONSOLIDATION    OF    THE    SOUTH    FORK    OF    HUGHES    RIVER 
AND  THE  RITCHIE  CHURCHES. 

The  Pine  Grove  Church,  as  the  mother  church,  was  deeply 
grieved  at  the  threatened  rupture  in  the  church,  and  on  the 
28th  of  August  immediately  preceding  the  meeting  of  the 
council  on  September  16,  1870,  when  the  Ritchie  Church  was 
organised,  appointed  a  committee  to  make  an  efifort  to  effect 
a  reconciliation  with  the  aggrieved  members,  and  report  at  a 
meeting  of  the  church  to  be  held  two  weeks  afterward.  The 
efforts  of  the  committee  were  abortive,  and  the  Ritchie  Church 
was  organised  as  related  in  the  preceding  part  of  this  chapter. 

No  further  official  action  was  taken  toward  bringing  about 
a  union,  until  at  a  business  meeting  held  February  22,  1876, 
the  Ritchie  Church  received  the  following  communication: — 

"We,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of  the  South  Fork  of 
Hughes  River,  believing  that  two  churches  in  close  proximity,  so 
nearly  of  the  same  faith  and  order,  is  not  fraternal,  and 

"Whereas,  Our  influence  and  strength  would  be  much  greater  in 
promulgating  the  truth  of  God  to  a  gainsaying  world, 

"WE,  THEREFORE,  Propose  a  unity,  admitting  on  our  part  that 
we  did  not  act  wisely  with  respect  to  Christian  courtesy,  as  further 


222      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

experience  has  taught  us.     But  our  honest  convictions  are  that  this  did 
not  justify  a  withdrawal  on  your  part. 

"WE,  THEREFORE,  Propose  to  receive  to  our  fellowship,  all 
who  are  in  good  standing  in  your  church,  upon  the  acknowledgment  on 
the  part  of  those  who  withdrew  from  our  church,  that  the  above  named 
withdrawal  was  wrong;  and  what  we  mean  by  this  is,  that  we  may 
become  satisfied  by  a  hearty  vote  on  their  part,  in  connection  with 
the  rest  of  their  brethren,  for  the  adoption  of  this  paper. 

"We  would  respectfully  ask  an  answer  with  respect  to  your 
action  on  the  above  propositions  at  your  earliest  convenience. 

"D.  N.  Meredith,  Chairman." 
To  this  letter,  the  Ritchie  Church  responded  as  follows : — 

"February  22,    1876. 

"Response  of  the  Ritchie  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  to  propo- 
sition for  consolidation  or  unity,  presented  by  the  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  for  the  union  between  the 
two  churches : — 

"ist.  RESOLVED,  That  we  accept  your  proposition  with  the 
appended  resolutions  and  explanations  as  hereinafter  stated,  and  are 
willing  to  meet  you  at  such  time  and  place  as  may  be  agreeable  to 
yourselves  to  take  into  consideration  such  final  measures  as  may  be 
deemed  necessary  to  effect  the  proposed  union,  so  as  to  make  it  pleasant 
to  all   concerned. 

"With  reference  to  the  several  points  made  in  your  communica- 
tion to  us,  the  following  action  was  taken : — • 

"ist.  On  the  point  of  the  existence  of  two  churches  of  kindred 
faith  so  near  each  other,  being  unfriendly  to  Christian  influence,  and 
wanting  in  "fraternal"  appearance  to  those  about  us,  it  was 

"RESOLVED,  Unanimously,  That  we  adopt  the  clause  or  item 
as  presented  by  you. 

"2d.  On  the  proposition  that  the  two  churches  become  a  "unit" 
it  was 

"RESOLVED,  'Yes,  heartily,'  if  it  can  be  done  on  Christian  and 
Gospel  principles. 

"3d.  On  your  statement  that  you  did  not  act  wisely  in  reference 
to  Christian  courtesy  toward  us,  it  was 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  receive  with  gratification  said  admission. 

"4th.  On  the  point  of  your  grief  with  us  for  our  withdrawal  from 
your  church,  we  have  this  to  say : — 

"That  while  we  frankly  acknowledge  that  we  might  have  erred 
in  rashness  and  unkindness,  in  the  manner  of  our  procedure,  and  we  do 
now  think  it  would  have  been  better  had  we  waited  longer  before  tak- 
ing the  responsible  step  of  a  new  organisation,  nevertheless,  we  do  at 
the  same  time  hope  that  you  will  not  too  sternly  hold  us  to  a  wrong 
intention,  when  we  freely  tell  you  that  it  is  true  that  in-cautiousness  on 
your  part  had  its  influence ;  but  that  was  not  all  which  induced  us  to 
take  the  step  we  did.     But  it  was  from  a  real  conviction  on  our  part 


U-:\\    RILKV   <;.    DAVIS. 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH 


223 


that  there  were  honest  differences  as  to  some  Gospel  orders    in    the 
church, — and  those  not  likely  soon  to  be  harmonised. 

"And  further  that  a  number  of  brethren  and  sisters  standing  out- 
side of  the  church,  and  who  were  not  willing  to  unite  with  your  church 
as  it  was,  and  who  were  anxious  to  effect  such  an  organisation  as 
would  at  the  [same]  time  allow  them  to  become  identified  with  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Denomination,  had  its  influence  on  us  in  favour- 
ing such  a  course,  and  particularly  as  that  consideration  had  for  a  long 
time  been  very  dear  to  us,  and  which  we  thought  we  were  not  likely 
to  secure  if  we  remained  with  you.  With  these  explanations,  we  hope 
that  we  may  be  restored  to  your  confidence,  after  you  shall  become 
satisfied  that  as  a  church,  we  harmoniously  and  unanimously  respond 
to  your  proposition  of  unity,  which  were  the  facts  in  the  case. 

"5th.  In  response  to  your  proposition  to  receive  to  fellowship 
such  of  our  members  as  were  in  fellowship  with  you  once,  on  certain 
conditions  specified  by  you,  we  are  zvilling  to  that;  Provided,  That 
nothing  in  the  proposed  union  should  so  be  understood  or  construed 
as  to  deprive  us  of  the  final  privilege  of  being  as  we  now  are ;  [t'/xr. J 
a  church  in  fellowship  with  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Denomination. 

"Appendages. 

"ist.  RESOLVED,  That  the  following  be  presented  to  our  breth- 
ren at  Pine  Grove  as  points  of  vital  importance  to  our  future  growth 
And  prosperity  as  a  people,  and  points  which  we  should  be  anxious  to 
have  adopted  if  the  union  should  take  place : — 

"ist  Item.  That  there  should  be  on  the  part  of  all,  great  care  not 
to  chafe  and  worry  each  other,  on  matters  of  conscientious  and  honest 
differences,  and  in  these  respects  to  do  nothing  contrary  to  the  law  of 
love. 

"i-d  Item.  That  there  be  a  mutual  agreement  to  stand  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Denomination,  and  be  organised 
on  a  plan  agreeing  with  the  sentiments  and  usages  of  our  people  which 
we  are  satisfied  has  been  a  great  strength  and  encouragement  to  us, 
by  delegations  to  them,  and  from  them  to  us. 

"jrf  Item.  That  while  it  is  not  our  wish  to  undervalue  or  discard 
our  present  ministry  among  us,  we  would  wish  as  near  as  we  can, 
to  have  a  settled  minister,  [from]  among  ourselves,  or  from  abroad, 
which  shall  give  to  us  faithful  and  efficient  pastoral  aid,  and  that  we 
would  be  willing  to  do  what  we  could,  consistently,  toward  the  support 
of  such  labourers. 

"The  foregoing  was  unanimously  adopted  as  a  whole  by  the 
church  and  ordered  to  be  transmitted  to  you. 

"William  Jett,  Secretary." 

One  week  afterward,  February  29,  1876,  the  foreg-oing- 
communication  from  the  Ritchie  Church  was  presented  at  a 
business  meeting  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church. 
Rev.  Charles  M.  Lewis,  who  was  engaged  at  that  time  in 
missionary  work  in  West  Virginia,  was  present  in  company 


224 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


with  William  F.  Ehret  and  his  son,  Flavins  J.  Ehret,  of  the 
Ritchie  Church.  The  mother  chnrch  voted  to  hold  a  union 
business  meeting  with  the  Ritchie  Church,  but  no  record 
appears  of  such  a  meeting. 

April  7,  1876,  the  Ritchie  Church  took  the  following 
action : — 

''Whereas,  We  desire  to  cultivate  the  spirit  of  brotherly  love  with 
our  Pine  Grove  brethren,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  hereby  express  our  willingness  to  unite 
with  them  in  Sabbath  School  and  social  worship,  meeting  with  them 
at  their  house  of  worship  one-half  of  the  time,  and  at  our  place  of 
worship  on  Otter  Slide  the  other  half,  arid  we  also  instruct  our  clerk 
to  forward  a  copy  of  this  preamble  and  resolution  to  them  and  request 
them  to  give  us  an  answer  in  time  to  organise  by  the  first  Sabbath  in 
May. 

"VOTED,  That  as  to-morrow  is  our  communion  season,  we  invite 
the  members  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  who  may  be 
present  and  who  are  members  in  good  standing  with  them,  to  partake 
with  us." 

To  this  the  following  reply  was  received : — 

"June  18,  1876. 

"The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  South  Fork  [of  Hughes  River]  Church, 
in  reply  to  the  request  of  the  Ritchie  Church  to  combine  and  attend 
the  Sabbath  Schools  and  meetings  of  Otter  Slide  and  Pine  Grove, 
would  respectfully  say  we  think  it  is  not  best  now.  Members  of  our 
Sabbath  School  are  not  favourable  to  it,  and  we  fear  it  would  not  have 
a  good  effect. 

"We  ask  you  to  pardon  our  slothfulness  in  the  making  of  this 
reply.  We  did  not  intentionally  disregard  your  request,  but  have 
neglected  it  until  our  regular  church  meeting. 

"H.  H.  Goodwin,  Clerk." 

On  the  4th  of  August,  1878,  the  Pine  Grove  Church  took 
the  following  action  : — 

"Whereas,  The  success  of  the  cause  of  Christ  depends  largely  on 
a  united  work  (for  union  means  strength),  and  feeling  the  weakening 
influence  of  a  divided  church,  and  knowing  that  division  does  not 
harmonise  with  the  Word  of  God ;  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  as  a  church  do  not  hold  meetings  at  Pine 
Grove  during  the  time  of  the  Quarterly  Meetings  of  the  Otter  Slide 
[the  Ritchie]  Church,  and  that  as  many  of  us  as  feel  free  to  do  so, 
attend  their  meetings  when  convenient,  and  endeavour  by  associating 
with  them  both  in  private  and  in  public,  to  so  manifest  love  for  them  as 
to  break  down  the  division." 

(14) 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH  225 

On  July  20,  1879,  the  Pine  Grove  Church  again  took 
action,  as  follows : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  the  Sabbath  School  in  unison  with  the  Ritchie 
Church  stand  as  it  does  till  the  present  session  is  out." 

Once  more,  on  February  i,  1880,  the  Pine  Grove  Church, 
after  an  exhaustive  discussion  of  the  subject,  decided  not  to 
unite  its  Sabbath  School  with  that  of  the  Ritchie  Church  for 
the  following  summer. 

But  on  October  8,  1880,  at  a  business  meeting  of  the 
Ritchie  Church,  the  superintendent  of  the  Sabbath  School 
presented  a  communication  from  the  Pine  Grove  Church, 
inviting  the  Ritchie  Sabbath  School  to  unite  with  the  Pine 
Grove  Sabbath  School  for  the  following  summer. 

To  this  the  Ritchie  Church  made  reply  as  follows : — 

"October  8th,  1880. 
"TO  THE  PINE  GROVE  CHURCH:— 

In  reply  to  your  proposed  union,  we  would  say, 

"Whereas,  We  believe  it  to  be  detrimental  to  the  cause  of  God  to 
unite  the  Sabbath  Schools,  and  then  separate  the  meetings,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  are  willing  to  unite  the  Sabbath  Schools 
on   the   following  terms : — 

"That  Sabbath  Schools  and  meetings  [both]  unite.  That  is,  the 
Sabbath  School  [shall  meet]  half  the  time  with  us,  and  when  it  is  with 
us,  for  there  to  be  no  meeting  at  Pine  Grove,  but  for  the  meetings  to 
be  at  our  place ;  and  when  the  Sabbath  School  is  at  your  place,  we  will 
have  no  meeting,  but  let  it  be  at  your  place.  And  that  we  have  the 
Sabbath  School  at  our  place  at  the  time  of  our  Quarterly  Meetings, 
and  you  have  it  at  your  place  at  the  time  of  your  Quarterly  Meetings." 

This  reply  was  presented  to  a  business  meeting  of  the 
Pine  Grove  Church,  held  December  19,  1880,  when  the  terms 
of  the  union  as  set  forth  by  the  Ritchie  Church  were  accepted, 
and  a  union  Sabbath  School  and  meetings  were  decided  upon. 

At  the  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  held  at 
New  Salem,  West  Virginia,  beginning  May  29,  1879,  there 
appeared  representatives  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  who 
expressed  a  desire  of  the  church  to  unite  with  the  association, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  conferring 
with  the  Pine  Grove  Church  and  deciding  upon  conditions  of 
union.  This  committee  was  continued  the  following  year  for 
the  same  purpose.  At  the  session  of  the  association  held  with 
the  Middle  Island  Church,  beginning  May  26,  1881,  the  com- 
mittee made  a  final  report  to  the  effect  that  a  majority  of  the 


226      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

members  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church  were  not  in  favour  of 
uniting  with  the  association. 

Nevertheless,  two  years  later,  at  the  session  of  the  asso- 
ciation held  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  May  24,  1883,  the  Pine 
Grove  Church  presented  a  petition  for  membership  in  the 
association.  This  petition  w^as  referred  to  a  special  committee, 
who  reported  as  follows : — 

"Your  Committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  petition  of  the  Pine 
Grove   Church,  would  respectfully  report  the   following : — 

"After  carefully  considering  the  matter  in  the  light  of  all  the 
facts  within  our  reach,  we  recommend  that  the  church  be  received  into 
the  association  on  these  conditions;  x'/c, 

"ist.  That  two  mistakes  of  fact  in  their  communication  to  this 
body  be   corrected. 

"2d.  That  the  Pine  Grove  Church  shall  be  understood  to  agree, 
by  coming  into  the  association,  to  take  the  very  earliest  practicable 
steps  to  bring  about  a  consolidation  with  the  Ritchie  Church, — steps 
that  shall  duly  recognise  the  fact  that  the  latter  church  is  and  has 
always  been  a  regularly  organised   Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church. 

"3d.  That  all  personal  difficulties  that  have  existed  or  may  now 
exist  on  the  part  of  persons  concerned  in  the  union  of  these  churches, 
shall,  in  the  exercise  of  mutual  Christian  forbearance,  be  forever 
dropped. 

"A.  E.  Main, 
"G.  J.  Crandall, 
"O.  D.  Sherman, 

"Committee." 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  adopted. 
The  first  move  made  toward  bringing  about  the  union  of 
the  two  churches  as  provided  in  the  foregoing  report,  was 
made  by  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  as  appears  from  the  following 
communication,  received  by  the  Ritchie  Church  at  its  regular 
business  meeting,  October  12,  1883: — 

"October   12,   1883. 
"TO  THE  RITCHIE  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTIST  CHURCH; 
"Dear  Brethren  : — 

"The  Pine  Grove  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  appointed  H. 
D.  Sutton,  A.  G.  Bee,  and  John  Ehret  as  a  committee  to  confer  with 
your  church  in  regard  to  a  consolidation  of  tRe  two  churches. 

"Done  by  order  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  at  a  regular  church 
meeting  on  the  23d  of  September,  1883. 

"A.  G.  Bee,  Clerk." 

The  Ritchie  Church  promptly  appointed  a  committee  of 
three,  consisting  of  Asa  F.  Randolph,  Flavins  J.  Ehret,  and 


THE  RITCHIE  CHURCH  227 

William  Jett  to  confer  with  the  committee  from  the  Pine  Grove 

Church,  and  report  at  the  next  regular  meeting. 

On  the  27th  of   the    following   January,    the    committee 

rendered  the  following  report: — 

'■Ritchie  Church  House,  Berea,  Ritchie  County,  West  Virginia. 

"January  24th,  1884. 

"The  Joint  Committee  of  Consolidation  of  the  Pine  Grove  and 
Ritchie  Churches  met  as  per  agreement.  Elder  John  L.  Huffman  was 
appointed  clerk. 

"The  Joint  Committee  unanimously  agreed  upon  the  following 
terms  of  consolidation  of  the  Pine  Grove  and  Ritchie  churches  in  har- 
mony with  the  advice  of  the  association : — 

"i.  That  all  feelings  of  animosity  be  dropped,  forgiven,  and  go 
into  oblivion,  and  that  we  cultivate  a  spirit  of  love  for  each  other. 

"2.  That  the  property  now  held  by  each  church  shall  be  the 
property  of  the  consolidated  church,  and  that  either  property  shall  not 
be  disposed  of  without  the  unanimous  consent  of  the  church. 

"3.  That  the  persons  who  are  now  trustees  of  the  Pine  Grove 
Church  shall  be  recognised  as  trustees  of  the  Ritchie  Church,  to  whom 
shall  be  entrusted  the  property  now  entrusted  to  them  by  the  Pine 
Grove  Church. 

"4.  That  the  Ritchie  Church  shall  not  be  responsible  for  any  debts 
or  claims  that  may  be  against  the  Pine  Grove  Church  at  the  time  of  the 
consolidation.  Neither  shall  the  persons  who  are  now  members  of  the 
Pine  Grove  Church  be  responsible  for  any  debts  or  claims  that  may  be 
against  the  Ritchie  Church  at  the  time  of  consolidation. 

"5.  That  the  meetings  of  the  [consolidated]  church,  including  the 
Sabbath  School,  shall  alternate  monthly,  holding  its  sessions  first  in  one 
house  and  then  in  the  other. 

"6.  That  by  virtue  of  this  consolidation  all  persons  in  the  Pine 
Grove  Church,  considered  by  that  church  to  be  in  good  standing,  shall 
be  recognised  as  such,  and  become  members  in  good  standing  in  the 
Ritchie  Church,  and  thus  the  Pine  Grove  Church  being  a  part  of  the 
Ritchie  Church  ceases  to  exist  as  a  separate  organisation. 

"John  L.  Huffman,  Clerk. 

"We  submit  the  foregoing  and  recommend  its  adoption  by  the 
church. 

"Asa  F.  Randolph, 
"Flavius  J.  Ehret, 
"William   Jett, 

"Committee." 

This  report  was  adopted  by  the  church  by  a  unanimous 
vote,  and  the  church  fixed  upon  February  9,  following,  as  the 
day  upon  which  the  formal  merging  of  the  two  churches  into 
one  body,  should  take  place  at  the  house  of  worship  of  the 
Ritchie  Church,     Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  was  present  at  this 


228      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

service  and  conducted  it  by  request  of  the  Ritchie  Church,  at 
the  Pine  Grove  Meeting  House. 

Ahnost  a  full  year  previous  to  the  final  consolidation, 
however,  a  large  number  of  the  prominent  members  of  the 
Pine  Grove  Church  deserted  that  church  and  affiliated  them- 
selves with  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists,  who  had  recently 
organised  a  church  in  that  vicinity. 

May  13,  1887,  there  was  presented  to  the  Ritchie  Church  a 
communication  purporting  to  come  from  the  Pine  Grove 
Church.  The  Ritchie  Church  declined  to  consider  the  letter, 
as  the  Pine  Grove  Church  had  passed  out  of  existence  more 
than  three  years  before  that  date. 

Again,  about  two  years  afterwards,  Marcus  E.  Martin 
organised  a  church  designed  to  be  a  sort  of  successor  to  the 
Pine  Grove  church,  and  seized  the  house  of  worship,  w^hich 
had  belonged  to  the  Pine  Grove  Church.  The  move  proved 
abortive,  however. 

The  remaining  members  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  who 
were  now  members  of  the  Ritchie  Church,  met  and  held  a  busi- 
ness meeting  on  October  24,  1897,  for  the  purpose  of  comply- 
ing with  the  laws  of  the  state  of  West  Virginia,  in  making  a 
legal  transfer  to  the  Ritchie  Church  of  the  real  estate  that  had 
been  the  property  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church.  This  was  liter- 
ally the  last  meeting  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  and  on  the  7th 
of  October,  1898,  a  report  was  made  to  the  Ritchie  Church, 
that  the  real  estate  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church  had  been  legally 
transferred  to  the  Ritchie  Church,  in  testimony  whereof  a  deed 
duly  executed  and  recorded  in  the  office  of  the  Clerk  of  Ritchie 
County  was  presented  to  the  meeting,  and  the  union  was  finally 
complete. 


XIII. 


THE  GREENBRIER  CHURCH. 


l^ig^^^^^lll^^HE  first  book  of  records  of  the  Green- 
H,^^,Kjt«C^     brier  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church 


[k  St  is )»■  -t^K  a  u] 


HUH 


IJi;  J|«|    begins  as  follows:— 

"A  few  of  the  members  of  the  New 
Salem  Church  residing  on  Greenbrier 
Run  and  in  its  vicinity,  held  a  meeting 
on  Greenbrier  Run,  August  14,  1870, 
to  consider  the  propriety  of  organising 
a  new  church  in  the  above  mentioned 
neighbourhood." 

This  meeting  occurred  during 
a  visit  of  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  to  West  Virginia,  and  he  was 
in  attendance  vipon  this  occasion.  The  meeting  passed  a  reso- 
lution to  the  effect  that  in  the  opinion  of  those  present,  a 
church  should  be  organised  on  Greenbrier  Run ;  and  appointed 
a  committee  consisting  of  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  and  Jesse 
Clark  to  visit  the  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church  in  that 
vicinity,  and  ascertain  their  views  on  this  subject. 

In  about  a  week  the  committee,  in  accordance  with  instruc- 
tions given  at  the  time  of  its  appointment,  reported  directly 
to  the  New  Salem  Church,  at  its  regular  church  meeting,  held 
on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  third  Sabbath  in 
August,  1870,  to  the  effect  that  some  forty-five  individuals  had 
expressed  a  desire  to  be  formed  into  the  proposed  new  church 
on  Greenbrier  Run. 

Accordingly,  the  New  Salem  Church  invited  the  Lost 
Creek  and  Middle  Island  churches  to  appoint  delegates  to  meet 
in  council  with  delegates  from  the  New  Salem  Church,  on 
Greenbrier  Run  on  the  23d  of  September  following,  for  the 
purpose  of  considering  "the  propriety  of  organising  a  church 
in  that  neighbourhood." 


230      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  council  met  on  the  day  appointed  with  the  following 
accredited  delegates  in  attendance : — 

From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis, 

LoDOwiCK  H.  Davis,  Deacon, 

Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  Deacon, 

George  Ford, 

Lloyd  F.  Randolph, 

Franklin  F.  Randolph. 
From  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette, 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis, 

Eli  Bond, 

George  Paugh, 

Francis  M.  Kildow, 

Austin  VanHorn. 
From  the  Middle  Island  Church : — 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis, 

William  B.  Davis,  Deacon, 

Sylvanus   Davis, 

Granville  H.  Davis, 

Alvin  H.  Davis, 

John  A.   Polan. 

The  following  members  of  the  Ritchie  Church  were  pres- 
ent and  invited  by  the  council  to  occupy  seats  in  that  body : — 

ZiBA  Davis,  Deacon, 
Levi  Stalnaker, 
Josiah  Bee. 

The  council  organised  by  electing  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette, 
chairman ;  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph,  clerk. 

After  due  deliberation,  the  council  agreed  that  there  ought 
to  be  a  church  on  Greenbrier  Run,  and  voted  to  proceed  with 
the  work  of  organisation  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day. 

At  the  afternoon  session,  the  organisation  was  effected 
with  forty-six  constituent  members. 

At  the  request  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  Lewis  F.  Ran- 
dolph, after  passing  a  satisfactory  examination  at  the  hands 
of  the  council,  was  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry. 
Rev,  Walter  B.  Gillette  preaching  the  ordination  sermon  the 
following  day, — Sabbath. 

These  meetings  of  the  council  were  held  in  an  old  log 
meeting  house  erected  on  Greenbrier  Run  by  the  New  Salem 
Church  for  the  use  of  its  members  in  that  vicinity. 


KK.W     I.I-:\\IS     1  ri'Z    KAXDOLl'H. 


THE  GREENBRIER  CHURCH 


231 


Rev.  Peter  Davis,  who  lived  near  by,  bowed  with  the 
infirmities  of  age,  was  waited  upon  by  a  committee  consisting 
of  all  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  clergymen  of  West  Virginia 
in  attendance  upon  the  meetings  of  the  council,  and  invited  to 
attend  and  assist  in  the  organisation  of  the  new  church,  the 
committee  offering  to  carry  him  to  and  from  the  meeting 
in  his  chair.  But  his  physical  disabilities  were  so  great  that  he 
was  compelled  to  decline  to  accept  the  invitation. 

Of  all  the  churches  in  western  Virginia  organised  wholly 
or  in  part  from  the  membership  of  the  New  Salem  Church, 
there  has  been  none  toward  which  the  New  Salem  Church 
has  ever  shown  a  more  tender,  affectionate  regard. 

Greenbrier  was  the  home  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis  and  his 
son-in-law.  Rev.  Jacob  Davis ;  the  former  of  whom  was  for  so 
many  years,  the  beloved  pastor  of  the  church.  The  latter  who 
had  been  for  some  years  the  pastor  of  the  New  Salem  Church, 
and  who  continued  to  minister  to  its  spiritual  wants,  was  held 
in  no  less  high  regard.  This  relation  was  less  that  between  sis- 
ters, than  that  between  mother  and  daughter.  Indeed,  for  many 
years,  the  latter  relationship  was  openly  avowed, — a  relation- 
ship which  inured  to  the  good  of  both  churches,  who  enter- 
tained none  but  the  best  feelings  for  each  other.  They 
rejoiced  in  each  other's  prosperity,  and  shared  the  cup  of  sad- 
ness and  sorrow,  each  with  the  other. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

The  Greenbrier  Church  was  a  constituent  member  of  the 
South-Eastern  Association,  at  its  organisation  in  1872 ;  and 
it  became  a  member  of  the  General  Conference  at  the  annual 
session  of  the  latter  body  at  Southampton,  Illinois,  in  Septem- 
ber, 1872. 

HOUSE   OF  WORSHIP. 

Immediately  upon  the  organisation  of  the  Greenbrier 
Church,  the  New  Salem  Church,  which  had  many  years  before 
provided  a  house  of  worship  on  Greenbrier  Run  for  the  use  of 
such  of  its  members  as  lived  in  that  vicinity,  offered  this  house 
and  lot  to  the  new  church.  This  offer  was  gratefully  accepted, 
but  owing  to  certain  legal  technicalities,  the  title  did  not  pass 
to  the  Greenbrier  Church  until  several  years  afterward. 

In  the  mean  time,  as  early  as  December,  1872,  the  church 
appointed  a  committee  to  take  steps  initiatory  to  the  erection 


232      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

of  a  new  house  of  worship.  It  was  not  until  some  five  years 
afterward,  however,  or  January,  1878,  that  the  committee  was 
instructed  to  proceed  with  the  erection  of  the  building. 

Two  months  later,  March  22,  1878,  the  committee 
reported  that  a  contract  had  been  let  for  the  construction  of 
the  new  meeting  house. 

The  new  house  of  worship  was  completed  and  dedicated 
on  March  28,  1880,  the  dedicatory  sermon  being  preached 
by  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  at  that  time  pastor  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church. 

The  total  cost  of  the  new  building  can  not  readily  be 
obtained,  as  considerable  labour,  as  well  as  material  upon 
which  no  price  was  placed,  was  contributed. 

The  new  house  was  built  upon  the  lot  given  the  church 
by  the  New  Salem  Church,  very  nearly  upon  the  exact  site 
of  the  old  building,  which  was  of  logs  wath  a  plank  addition. 
It  has  been  described  in  fuller  detail  in  the  chapter  upon  the 
Neiv  Salem  Church. 

PASTORS. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  chosen  the  first  pastor  of  the  Green- 
brier Church,  and  served  from  December,  1870,  to  May,  187 1, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  who 
served  until  March,  1873,  and  then  resigned  to  accept  the  pas- 
torate of  the  church  at  Marlboro,  New  Jersey. 

In  the  following  September,  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was 
requested  "to  preach  and  hold  such  other  meetings  as  he  may 
deem  best;"  and  in  June,  1874,  he  was  chosen  pastor  for  a 
period  of  six  months,  and  again  in  March,  1877,  for  one  year. 

In  March,  1878,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  having  returned 
to  Greenbrier,  he  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  were  both  requested 
to  attend  Quarterly  Meetings  and  to  preach  at  other  times  as 
they  might  think  best. 

In  December,  1880,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  was  chosen 
pastor  again,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  May,  1883, 
when  he  resigned  to  accept  the  pastorate  of  the  Second  Hop- 
kinton  Church,  of  Rhode  Island.  In  June,  1883,  Rev.  Jacob 
Davis  was  asked  by  the  church  to  conduct  Quarterly  Meetings 
until  a  pastor  could  be  obtained. 

In  June,  1885,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  employed  by  the 
church  to  serve  as  pastor  for  a  period  of  one  year. 


THE  GREENBRIER  CHURCH  233 

In  November,  1887,  Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick,  of  Harts- 
ville,  New  York,  was  engaged  as  pastor  for  a  term  of  one 
year. 

In  March,  1890,  Rev.  IMarcus  E.  Martin  accepted  a  call 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  and  continued  to  serve  in  that 
capacity  until  the  end  of  December,  1893. 

In  March,  1894,  Riley  G.  Davis,  a  licentiate  member  of 
the  church,  was  asked  to  supply  the  pulpit ;  and  in  March, 
1898,  four  years  afterward,  Samuel  Albert  Ford,  a  licentiate 
member  of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  was  invited  to  preach, 
at  his  convenience. 

In  May,  1899,  Rev.  David  W.  Leath  became  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  served  for  two  years,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott. 

LICENCED  TO  PREACH. 

On  June  25,  1880,  the  church  expressed  its  best  wishes 
to  James  E.  Strother,  one  of  its  members,  in  view  of  his 
expressed  desire  to  enter  the  Gospel  ministry ;  and  invited  him 
to  engage  in  active  labour  in  the  church  and  Sabbath  School, 
and  expressed  a  willingness  to  grant  him  licence  to  preach, 
when  he  should  have  exhibited  due  ability  to  do  so.  No 
further  record  relating  to  this  subject  appears,  however. 

March  25,  1892,  Riley  G.  Davis  was  granted  licnece  to 
preach,  for  a  term  of  six  months.  At  the  expiration  of  this 
period,  his  licence  was  renewed  for  one  year,  then  again  for 
another  year,  and  on  December  27,  1895,  it  was  made  perma- 
nent by  renewing  it  for  an  indefinite  period. 

September  23,  1892,  licence  to  preach  was  granted  Alfred 
N.  ]\Ieek  for  a  period  of  one  year.  At  the  expiration  of  this 
time  it  was  renewed  for  another  year,  but  no  further  record 
appears  concerning  his  licence. 

DEACONS. 

Judson  F.  Randolph,  one  of  the  constituent  members  of 
the  church,  had  been  ordained  to  the  office  of  deacon  by  the 
New  Salem  Church,  before  the  organisation  of  the  Greenbrier 
Church ;  and  at  the  time  the  Greenbrier  Church  was  organised, 
he  complied  with  the  request  of  the  new  church  to  serve  it, 
also  as  a  deacon. 

April  21,  1876,  Jesse  Clark  was  called  by  the  church  to 


234      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  office  of  deacon,  and  on  the  21st  of  June  following,  he  was 
ordained  to  that  office. 

On  the  22d  of  March,  1889,  Cornelius  S.  Davis  and 
Cornelius  R.  Davis  each  received  a  call  from  the  church  to 
become  a  deacon;  and  September  29th,  following,  they  were 
both  ordained. 

Again,  September  2y,  1901,  Milton  Clark  and  Daniel  P. 
Strother  were  elected  deacons,  and  on  the  first  Sabbath  in  the 
following  November,  they  were  set  apart  to  that  office  by 
ordination. 

MODERATORS. 

At  the  first  church  meeting,  held  September  24,  1870, 
after  the  organisation  of  the  church,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph 
was  elected  moderator  for  a  term  of  one  year. 

On  September  22,  1871,  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  elected 
moderator,  and  served  for  a  term  of  five  years,  until  September 
22,  1876,  when  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  was  again  elected. 
Lewis  F.  Randolph  served  until  his  departure  to  Rhode  Island 
in  May,  1883,  but  no  successor  appears  to  have  been  elected 
until  the  following  September,  when  Judson  F.  Randolph  was 
elected  for  a  term  of  one  year. 

Franklin  F.  Randolph  was  elected  moderator  September 
19,  1884,  and  was  re-elected  annually  for  tw'o  successive  years. 

September  2^,  1887,  John  J.  Davis  was  elected  for  one 
year;  at  the  expiration  of  that  period,  Judson  F.  Randolph 
was  elected  and  served  until  September  22,  1892,  when  Riley 
G.  Davis  was  elected  for  one  year. 

September  22,  1893,  John  F.  Randolph  was  elected  mod- 
erator, and  served  until  September  2y,  1901,  when  Rev.  Dar- 
win C.  Lippincott  was  elected  in  his  stead. 

CHURCH    CLERKS. 

L^pon  the  completion  of  the  organisation  of  the  church 
in  1870,  Ethelbert  J.  Davis  was  elected  clerk,  and  served  in 
that  capacity  until  September,  1875,  when  Judson  F.  Randolph 
succeeded  him  for  a  term  of  one  year. 

On  September  22,  1876,  Ethelbert  J.  Davis  w^as  again 
elected  clerk,  and  served  continuously  until  December  23, 
1898,  when  he  was  a  second  time  succeeded  by  Judson  F.  Ran- 
dolph, who  served  until  September  2J,  1901,  on  which  date 
Oris  O.  Stutler  became  clerk. 


J   Di 


THE  GREENBRIER  CHURCH  235 

CONSTITUENT    MEMBERS. 
Jacob  Davis, 
Jemima  Davis, 
Jesse  J.  Davis, 
HuLDAH  Davis, 
Sally  C.  Davis, 
Delia  G.  Davis, 
Jesse  Clark, 
Charlotte  Clark, 
Marvel  Clark, 
Lucy  A.   Clark, 
Effilee  Clark, 
Fenton  R.   Clark, 
Milton  Clark, 
JuDSON  F.  Randolph, 
Mary  E.  Randolph, 
Jonathan  F.  Randolph, 
Elisabeth  Ann  Randolph, 
Charlotte  Hutson, 
Lucinda  Strother, 
Oliver  C.  Strother, 
Daniel  P.  Strother, 
James  E.  Strother, 
RosELLA  Strother, 

Mary  J.  Strother, 
Love  C.  Strother, 

Ethelbert  J.  Davis, 

Alcena  J.  Davis, 

Lewis  F.  Randolph, 

Elisabeth  Jane  F.  Randolph, 

Amaziah  Flint, 

Joshua  J.  Davis, 

Cornelius  Maxson, 

Catharine  L.  Maxson, 

Gideon  Maxson, 

Charles  B.  Bonnell, 

Rhulana  Bonnell, 

Francis  M.  Davis, 

Adolphus  a.  Davis, 

Mary  Ann  Davis, 


236      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

John  F.  Randolph, 
Ann  Hughes, 
Sarah  Stuttler, 
Melissa  F.  Randolph, 
Almeda  Davis, 
Mary  Flint, 
Salathiel  Davis. 


»iri»W¥wwTnr¥inr¥Tr¥V¥Tn^ 


tf  iUUUUUtlUUUULlUUULlUUOIJULILIU^^ 


XIV. 


ROANOKE,  OR  WEST  FORK,  CHURCH. 


i^^^dk 


[g»'iK-« 


o 


December  2,  1871,  there  was  a 
meeting  at  the  home  of  Reuben 
Hevener,  in  what  was  called  "Sab- 
batarian Valley"  (now  known  as 
Roanoke),  Lewis  County,  West 
Virginia,  to  consider  the  propriety 
of  taking  steps  looking  toward  the 
organisation  of  a  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  church  at  that  place. 

This  council  met  by  order  of 
the  newly-organised  South-Eastern  Association,  which  had 
met  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  on  the  preceding  Second 
Day  of  the  week,  and  completed  its  organisation.  It  may  be 
interesting  to  note  that  this  is  the  only  church  in  West  Virginia 
organised  directly  by  the  association.  All  others  have  been 
organised  by  the  churches  directly,  without  regard  to  associa- 
tional  supervision. 

The  following  persons  were  in  attendance : — 

Reuben  Hevener, 
Abigail  H.  Hevener, 
John  C.  Bond, 
Betsey  Bond, 
Ann  E.  Bond, 
Samuel  D.  Bond, 
Mary  E.  Hevener, 
Florin  L.  Bond, 
Mansfield  M.  Hevener. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  also  present  and  participated 
in  the  deliberations. 

Reuben  Hevener  was  appointed  moderator,  and  John  J. 
Hevener,  clerk. 


238      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

It  was  agreed  that  a  church  ought  to  organised  in  the 
neighbourhood,  and  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  of  which  almost, 
if  not  quite  all,  of  those  present  were  members,  was  requested 
to  take  steps  to  organise  such  a  church  at  an  early  date. 

On  the  following  day  another  meeting  was  held,  when 
John  C.  Bond,  John  J.  Hevener,  and  Samuel  D.  Bond  were 
appointed  to  attend  such  a  council  as  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
might  call  to  consider  the  propriety  of  organising  the  church 
as  requested. 

On  the  receipt  of  this  petition  for  the  organisation  of  a 
new  church,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  referred  it  to  the  South- 
Eastern  Association.  The  association  appointed  a  council,  con- 
sisting of  three  delegates  from  each  church  in  the  association. 
This  council  met  in  the  new  house  of  worship  erected  for  the 
use  of  these  Seventh  Day  Baptists  living  at  Roanoke,  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week,  January  19,  1872. 

The  following  delegates  were  present : — 

From  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis, 

Levi  B.  Davis, 

Moses  H.  Davis. 
From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick. 
From  the  Greenbrier  Church : — 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis. 
From  the  Middle  Island  Church: — 

Granville  H.  Davis. 

Moses  H.  Davis  was  chosen  moderator  of  the  council, 
and  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  secretary. 

After  some  discussion  of  the  question  in  hand,  the  council 
voted  to  proceed  with  the  work  of  organising  the  new  church. 

After  consultation  with  such  of  the  prospective  members 
of  the  new  church  as  were  present,  a  covenant  and  articles  of 
faith  were  agreed  upon  and  adopted. 

On  the  following  day,  Sabbath,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick 
preached  a  sermon,  after  which  the  following  persons  formally 
accepted  the  articles  of  faith  and  signed  the  covenant : — 

Reuben  Hevener, 
Abigail  H.  Hevener, 
Samuel  D.  Bond, 
Jane  C.  Bond, 
Mary  E.  Hevener, 


THE  ROANOKE  CHURCH  239 

Ann  Eliza  Bond, 

Elisabeth  S.  Bond, 

Amanda  J.  Hevener, 

Elisabeth  Bond, 

Florin  L.  Bond. 
At  a  business  meeting  held  in  the  evening  after  the  Sab- 
bath, of  the  same  day,  Samuel  D.  Bond  and  Reuben  Hevener 
were  chosen  deacons ;  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  pastor ;  and  John 
J.  Hevener,  clerk  of  the  church. 

On  the  following  day,  the  newly  chosen  deacons  were  duly 
ordained. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

This  church  was  received  into  membership  in  the  South- 
Eastern  Association,  at  the  first  annual  session  of  the  associa- 
tion, held  with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New  Milton, 
West  Virginia,  in  June,  1872. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference,  held  with 
the  church  at  Southampton,  Illinois,  in  the  following  Septem- 
ber, the  West  Fork  (Roanoke)  Church  became  a  member  of 
the  General  Conference. 

MEETING    HOUSE. 

But  a  short  time  before  the  organisation  of  the  church, 
these  people  had  built  for  their  use,  a  neat  frame  building  to 
be  used  as  a  house  of  worship,  which  has  served  their  purpose 
up  to  the  present  time. 

PASTORS. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  was  chosen  pastor  at  the  time 
of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  served  until  November, 
1874.  After  an  interim  of  a  year,  during  which  time  the 
church  had  been  without  a  recognised  pastor,  he  was  again 
pastor  for  a  short  time. 

In  November,  1877,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  who  had 
been  visiting  the  church,  coming  from  his  home  on  Greenbrier 
Run,  was  made  pastor  for  a  year. 

In  May,  1879.  Marcus  E.  Martin  was  called  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  church,  and  served  in  that  capacity  for  some 
three  years. 

Again  in  May,  1882,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  chosen 
pastor  and  served  until  November  6,  1885,  when  he  resigned. 
He  continued  to  visit  the  church,  however,  at  intervals  of  two 
or  three  months  until  February  6,  1891,  when  he  was  once 


240      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

more  recognised  as  pastor,  and  served  until  May  4,  1894. 
He  then  finally  resigned  the  charge  because  of  physical 
infirmity. 

On  November  7,  1895,  Rev.  JMazzini  G.  Stillman  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Roanoke  and  Lost  Creek  churches, 
jointly.  He  entered  upon  his  term  of  service,  January  i, 
1896,  and  at  the  date  of  this  writing,  August  i,  1902,  remains 
in  the  service. 

At  no  time  in  its  history  has  the  church  had  a  pastor  who 
has  given  his  entire  time  to  the  church.  A  part  of  this  period 
he  has  given  one-fourth  of  his  time.  At  other  times  he  has 
preached  once  in  two  weeks,  once  a  month,  or  attended  the 
Quarterly  Meetings  of  the  church. 

LICENCED  TO  PREACH. 

Marcus  E.  Martin  was  licenced  to  preach,  May,  1879; 
and  in  compliance  with  a  call  from  the  church  to  ordination, 
he  was  ordained  February  6,  1880. 

Ahva  John  Clarence  Bond  was  licenced  by  the  church, 
November  3,  1899,  to  preach  "wherever  duty  might  call." 

MODERATORS. 

For  several  years  the  church  appointed  its  moderators 
from  meeting  to  meeting,  until  in  May  1880,  Samuel  D.  Bond 
was  appointed  moderator  for  nine  months.  He  still  serves  the 
church  in  that  capacity. 

CLERKS. 

John  J.  Hevener,  who  was  chosen  clerk  at  the  time  of 
the  organisation  of  the  church,  served  until  May  i,  1874,  when 
he  resigned,  and  Abigail  H.  Hevener  was  appointed  in  his 
stead.  She  served  for  two  years,  and  upon  her  resignation  in 
May,  1876,  Mansfield  M.  Hevener  was  elected  in  her  stead, 
and  has  served  continuously  ever  since. 

NAME. 

The  name   chosen  at  the   time  of  the  organisation  was 

the  SEVENTH  DAY   BAPTIST   CHURCH   ON   THE  WEST  FORK  RIVER. 

In  November,  1882,  the  name  was  changed  to  the  roanoke 
SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  to  Correspond  to  the  name  of 
the  post  office  recently  established  in  the  neighbourhood. 


(15) 


Ig'H  a  K  K  a  K  K  a 'K  a  K  H  H  K 'K  K  K  K *K ■« 'a  K  K' H  K  K  K  K  K  H  K  H "aW 'aWW W a"' a  a  Wa 'a  «'[«] 
[a  ra  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a|g| 

[gfajilMJaajJli^aayiM^aailiMJlaa^JM^aa!^^ 

gX^aS5^>E£=£=H^  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a_a  a  a^a^a^a^_a;a.a_a_a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a^  a_a£;a.£.aMSSl 

|5i[5iiH!Hja.HiHi,H:iH,aia  a  a  a  a  a  a  a'"g,;HgH:iH,'i«i;a,g.iHiHiHia  a  a  a  a  a  a  a,aiK.ii,iH  fiEiJSjiSH 


XV. 


CONINGS,  OR  BEAR  FORK,  CHURCH. 

:^|S^SP^ff^^i»^^|N  June  26,  1881,  there  was  a  meeting 


Jaaaaaaaaaa  gTTgSl 
a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  gXyfil 

La  a„a  aa.a.aa.a  ajWiiai 


a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  ^Xm    of  Seventh  Day  Baptists  residing  on 


iili  gl^l    the  Bear  Fork  of  Cove  Creek,  in 

iilfi       y^~X        "aaatj     Gilmer    County,    to    consider    the 

aaal     propriety  of  organising  a  Seventh 


lH:Ka  a 


o 


illl       V_>^        ilji     Day  Baptist  church  in  their  midst. 
g'^filj  aafil     Of    those    present,    fourteen    were 

E^oSSSL«KMsS:[«!HK^t7?^Sl     ready  to  enter  into  such  an  organi- 


_        J'a  a  a,  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  gXg  «! 
^ywX.a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  aKlMgai      oofi'rin 
g^.a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  ai      ^dLiuii. 

At  an  adjourned  meeting,  held  the 
same  day,  Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  who  was  present  and  acted  as 
chairman  of  both  meetings,  was  appointed  to  draft  articles 
of  faith,  and  a  covenant. 

Another  meeting  was  held  July  22,  1881,  when  the  pro- 
posed covenant  .was  presented  and  pronounced  satisfactory. 
On  the  23d  of  September,  1881,  another  meeting  was  held 
which  was  attended  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  presided. 
Arrangements  were  completed  at  this  meeting  for  calling  a 
council    of   the   churches   of  the    South-Eastern   Association. 

On  the  2 1  St  of  October,  following,  the  council  convened  at 
the  Boyce  School  House,  on  Bear  Fork,  and  organised  by 
appointing  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin,  moderator;  and  Franklin 
F.  Randolph,  clerk. 

Prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph. 

The  following  delegates  were  in  attendance : — 

From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 

Franklin  F.  Randolph. 
From   the  Greenbrier   Church : — 

Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph, 

JuDSON  F.  Randolph, 

Fenton  R.  Clarke. 


242      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

From  the  Middle   Island   Church : — 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis, 

Stephen  T.  Davis, 

John  A.  Polan. 
From  the  Ritchie  Church ; — 

Asa  F.  Randolph, 

Elisha  J.  Maxson, 

Luther  H.  Bond. 
From  the  West  Fork   (Roanoke)   Church: — 

Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin, 

Florin  Lee  Bond, 

Mansfield  M.  Hevener. 
From  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

Francis  M.  Kildow. 

After  careful  deliberation,  the  council  decided  to  proceed 
with  the  organisation  of  the  new  church.  The  covenant  and 
articles  of  faith,  previously  prepared,  were  approved.  William 
Flesher  was  chosen  deacon. 

On  the  following  day,  Sabbath,  October  22,  the  formal 
exercises  incident  to  the  organisation  of  the  church,  and  to  the 
ordination  of  the  newly  chosen  deacon,  were  conducted. 
These  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  James  B.  Davis  and 
Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph.  Rev.  James  B.  Davis  preached  the 
sermon. 

The  following  were  the  constituent  members : — 

Rebecca  Ann  Flesher, 
William  H.  Flesher, 
Jabez  Spurgeon, 
Christina  Spurgeon, 
Charles  J.  Spurgeon, 
Mary  E.  Adams, 
Joshua  C.  Spurgeon, 
Emily  E.  Spurgeon  Lasure, 
Andrew  J.  Lasure, 
Ary  Lasure. 

NAME. 

When  the  church  was  organised,  it  adopted  as  its  name, 

THE    BEAR    FORK    SEVENTH    DAY    BAPTIST     CHURCH.        On     July 

27,    1888,   by   vote   of  the   church,   it   was   changed   to   the 

CONINGS  seventh  DAY  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

MEMBERSHIP   IN   SUPERIOUR   BODIES. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association, 
held  with  the  Ritchie  Church,  beginning  May  25,   1882,  the 


COKINGS,  OR  BEAR  FORK,  CHURCH  243 

Bear   Fork  Church,  upon  its  application,   was  received  into 
the  membership  of  the  association. 

Just  when  the  church  was  received  into  the  General  Con- 
ference, the  records,  neither  of  the  church  nor  the  General  Con- 
ference, state.  No  recognition  is  given  the  church  in  the 
Conference  minutes  until  1889.  That  year  the  church  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  General  Conference,  apparently  assuming  that  it 
was  already  a  member  of  that  body,  and  the  letter  seems  to 
have  been  received  by  the  General  Conference  upon  that  basis. 
But  the  recording  secretary  of  the  General  Conference,  in 
making  up  the  statistical  tables  for  that  year,  having  found  no 
previous  record  of  the  church,  apparently  assumed  that  tlie 
church  had  just  been  organised  that  year  (and  recorded  it  so), 
and  consequently  assumed  that  it  likewise  became  a  member 
of  Conference  in  that  year. 

HOUSE    OF    WORSHIP. 

As  early  as  April  21,  1882,  the  church  took  initial  steps 
toward  building  a  house  of  worship.  It  was  not  until  Alarch 
4,  1883,  however,  that  the  building  committee,  consisting  of 
Jabez  Spurgeon,  William  H.  Flesher,  and  George  W.  Brissey, 
were  instructed  to  proceed  with  the  erection  of  a  log  house 
for  a  house  of  worship,  upon  a  lot  given  for  that  purpose  by 
Jabez  Spurgeon.  A  few  months  afterward,  the  house  was 
completed. 

In  the  mean-time  the  church  held  its  meetings  in  the 
Boyce  School  House,  and  in  the  homes  of  its  members. 

PASTORS. 

At  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Bear  Fork  Church, 
the  Middle  Island  Church  had  for  some  time  been  maintain- 
ing a  preaching  station  at  that  point,  and  Rev.  James  B.  Davis 
of  the  Middle  Island  Church,  visited  the  neighbourhood  with 
more  or  less  regularit}',  and  conducted  religious  services. 

On  the  2 1  St  of  April,  1882,  seven  months  after  its  organi- 
sation, the  church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin 
to  become  its  pastor.  He  accepted  the  call  and  served  the 
church  until  July  28,  1884,  when  he  requested  the  church  to 
dismiss  him  because  he  had  ceased  to  observe  the  Sabbath  of 
the  Bible. 

The  church  was  then  without  a  recognised  pastor  for  a 
period  of  nearly  seven  years.    In  the  mean  time  it  enjoyed  the 


244      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

temporary  services  of  such  ministers  as  were  available  for  that 
purpose.  At  one  time,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  visited  the 
church  at  intervals  of  three  or  four  months  for  a  period  of 
a  year  or  more. 

Beginning  with  January  i,  1891,  Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills, 
who  at  that  time  was  pastor  of  the  Ritchie  Church,  assumed 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Bear  Fork  Church,  also,  giving  it  one- 
fourth  of  his  time.  He  closed  his  term  of  service  March  i, 
1892. 

Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager  became  the  next  pastor,  and 
remained  with  it  until  February  i,  1889,  giving  one-fourth  of 
his  time  to  the  Conings  Church,  as  the  Bear  Fork  Church 
was  now  called,  and  three-fourths  to  the  Ritchie  Church. 

Rev.  Riley  G.  Davis  became  the  next  pastor,  upon  condi- 
tions similar  to  those  of  his  predecessor,  and  remains  the 
pastor  at  the  date  of  this  writing,  August  i,  1902. 

DEACOX. 

William  H.  Flesher,  the  only  deacon  the  church  has  ever 
had,  was  ordained  at  the  organisation  of  the  church,  October 
22,  1881. 

MODERATOR. 

For  a  period  of  one  year  dating  from  January  29,  1883, 
the  church  had  a  permanent  moderator,  William  H.  Flesher. 
Before  that  time  and  afterwards,  the  moderator  was  appointed 
for  the  day,  and  was  usually  the  pastor,  or  such  other  minister 
as  might  happen  to  be  present. 

CLERK. 

Charles  J.  Spurgeon  was  the  first  clerk,  and  began  his 
term  of  service  with  the  first  meeting  held  preliminary  to  the 
organisation  of  the  church.  Just  how  long  he  was  clerk  is 
not  wholly  clear  from  the  records.  He  was  excommunicated 
from  the  church  July  2y,  1883,  for  forsaking  the  Sabbath. 
At  that  time  he  had  not  attended  the  meetings  of  the  church 
for  more  than  a  year. 

Joshua  C.  Spurgeon  was  elected  clerk  of  the  church 
January  29,  1883,  but  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin,  who  had  been 
acting  in  that  capacity  for  some  time,  continued  to  keep  the 
records  until  July  28,  1884,  since  which  time,  they  have  been 
kept  by  Joshua  C.  Spurgeon. 


XVI. 
THE   SALEMVILLE  CHURCH. 


(liw.H:B!iiiSalMiKiaS]iai5i'SJi«.!«iiKii«l 


^^fL^HE   Salemville   Seventh  Dav  Baptist 


l«l 

^f 

w| 

[Kl. 

^«1 

r 

H 

ifti 

i:k| 

IK' 

l«l 

Ik 

pKl 

l«1 

'Ki 

-^ 

■- 

|H|' 

'  Mi 

|K|I 

'  Hi 

IHI 

Church  had  its  origin  in  a  German 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  church,  whose 
history  may  be  briefly  sketched  as 
follows : — 

In  the  year  1708,  as  a  result  of 
the  revolt  from  the  State  Church  of 

irresistable 
degree  of 
spirituality,  Andrew  Mack  with  oth- 
ers who  sympathised  with  him,  organised,  at  Schwartzenau,  a 
church  of  the  order  known  as  the  German  Baptist  Brethren,  or 
Bunkers,  or  Dunkards.  Although  Andrew  Mack  was  their 
first  minister,  the  church  did  not  regard  him  as  its  founder. 
A  storm  of  persecution  immediately  broke  over  their 
heads,  and  they  were  driven  to  Wittgenstein.  They  rejected 
all  creeds  of  human  origin  and  accepted  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  as  their  only  rule  of  faith  and  practise.  Persecution 
still  raged,  and  they  sought  an  asylum  in  America,  settling 
near  Germantown,  Pennsylvania,  where  they  organised  their 
first  church  in  this  country  in  1723.  Among  the  early  settlers 
was  Christopher  Sauer,  who  was  the  first  printer  in  America 
to  print  the  Bible  in  an  American  tongue. 

Conrad  Beissel  was  one  of  those  who  had  fallen  a  vic- 
tim to  the  persecution  in  Germany,  and  had  been  compelled 
to  flee  from  his  native  land  for  safety.  He  was  a  mystic, 
born  at  Eberbach  in  the  Palatinate  in  1690,  and  learned  the 
trade  of  a  baker.  He  was  fond  of  music  and  became  a  violinist 
of  no  mean  ability.  He  studied  theology  at  Halle,  after  which 
he  was  exiled  in  1720,  for  holding  Pietistic  and  Inspirational 


246        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

views,  and  settled  at  Germantown,  Pennsylvania.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year,  he  became  a  hermit  at  Mill  Creek,  Lancaster 
County,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  remained  until  1724,  when  he 
returned  to  Germantown  and  accepted  baptism  at  the  hands  of 
the  Dunkers.  He  soon  offended  the  Dunkers  by  his  advocacy 
of  celibacy  and  the  observance  of  the  Seventh  Day  of  the  week 
as  the  Sabbath.  In  May,  1725,  he  founded  the  sect  of  Sev- 
enth Day  Dunkers,  or  German  Seventh  Day  Baptists.  He 
again  became  a  hermit  in  1732;  this  time  on  the  Cocalico 
River.  Here  his  adherents  followed  him,  and  in  1735  he 
founded  the  mystic  Order  of  the  Solitary,  and  established  the 
celebrated  settlement  at  Ephrata,  Pennsylvania,  at  whose  head 
he  remained  until  his  death  in  July,  1768.  Here  he  put  into 
practise  many  of  his  theories,  religious  as  well  as  socialistic 
and  communistic.  The  members,  comprising  both  men  and 
women,  adopted  a  peculiar  dress,  resembling  somewhat  that 
of  the  Capuchins,  or  White  Friars,  and  the  men  wore  long 
beards.  Celibacy  was  encouraged,  but  marriage  was  not  pro- 
hibited. Property  was  held  in  common,  although  private  own- 
ership was  not  forbidden.  Many  of  the  members  were  well 
educated.  A  printing  press  was  set  up,  and  a  number  of  works 
in  both  English  and  German  were  published,  some  of  them 
very  beautifully  made,  and  now  highly  prized. 

After  the  Battle  of  Brandywine,  in  the  War  of  the  Rev- 
olution, these  monastic  buildings  were  thrown  open  for  the 
care  of  the  wounded,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  American 
soldiers  were  buried  in  the  German  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Cem- 
etery at  Ephrata.^ 

After  the  death  of  Conrad  Beissel.  Peter  Miller  succeeded 
to  the  leadership,  and  various  branches  were  established ;  one 
in  York  County,  in  1758;  another  at  Snow  Hill,  Franklin 
County;  and  in  1763,  one  at  Salemville,  Bedford  County, 
which  still  continues  under  the  leadership  of  John  S.  King 
and  David  C.  Long,  as  elders.  These  were  all  in  the  state  of 
Pennsylvania. 

At  the  first  annual  session  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
South-Eastern  Association,  in  1872,  the  corresponding  secre- 


I.  The  wadding  used  by  the  American  soldiers  for  their  guns,  in  the  Battle 
of  Brandywine,  was  of  unbound  Seventh  Day  Baptist  hymn  books  printed  in  the 
German  language. 


THE  SALEMVILLE  CHURCH 


247 


tary  of  that  body  reported  correspondence  between  himself 
in  behalf  of  the  association  and  Jacob  Long  of  Salemville, 
Pennsylvania,  representing  the  German  Seventh  Day  Baptists 
of  Pennsylvania.  Arrangements  were  made  for  the  corre- 
spondence to  be  continued. 

In  1876,  at  the  request  of  the  German  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  of  Salemville,  Rev.  Lester  C.  Rogers,  at  that  time  in 
the  service  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  visited 
them  in  behalf  of  Sabbath  reform,  and  was  cordially  received 
and  assisted  in  his  labours  by  Rev.  David  C.  Long,  one  of  the 
clergymen  of  the  church  at  Salemville.  In  writing  of  this 
visit,  David  C.  Long  says : — 

"We  are  loth  to  have  Bro.  Rogers  leave  us.  We  are  thankful  to 
God  for  his  able  ministry,  and  also  to  our  kind  brethren 
who  have  spared  him  from  other  fields  for  our  good.  May  the  Lord 
reward  you  for  your  kind  help  to  us  through  him !  We  hope  this  dis- 
play of  feeling  for  us  by  our  English  [-speaking]  Seventh-day  Baptist 
Brethren,  may,  under  God's  blessing,  more  closely  identify  us  with 
you  in  the  great  work  of  Sabbath  reform." 

These  people  were  visited  subsequently  by  various  other 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  clergymen,  including  Rev.  Arthur  E. 
Main  and  Rev.  Libbeus  M.  Cottrell.  In  1882,  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Davis  visited  them  and  conducted  a  series  of  successful 
revival  meetings. 

Previous  to  the  visit  of  Rev.  Lester  C.  Rogers,  Rev.  Wal- 
ter B.  Gillette  had  visited  these  people  on  his  way  home  from 
one  of  his  visits  to  western  Virginia. 

The  church  at  Salemville  became  divided  because  of  cer- 
tain differences  of  opinion,  and  on  December  22,,  1885,  fourteen 
of  its  members  left  the  mother  church  and,  at  a  meeting  held 
at  the  home  of  Noah  Blough,  organised  themselves  into  the 
Salemville  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church.  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis  was  present  and  assisted  in  the  organisation. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association, 
held  with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New  Milton,  West 
Virginia,  in  May,  1886,  the  Salemville  Church  was  received 
into  membership  in  that  body.  In  the  following  September, 
it  was  received  into  the  General  Conference,  at  the  annual 
session  of  that  organisation,  at  Milton,  Wisconsin. 


248       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

HOUSE  OF   WORSHIP. 

At  the  time  of  organisation,  the  church  being  without 
a  house  of  worship,  it  arranged  to  worship  in  private  houses, 
the  homes  of  its  members,  for  an  indefinite  length  of  time. 

On  the  I2th  of  March,  1886,  a  building  committee  was 
appointed,  consisting  of  Jacob  B.  Kagarise,  George  B.  Kag- 
arise,  Noah  Blough,  and  Wilson  Kagarise.  They  obtained 
subscriptions  on  the  spot,  aggregating  one  hundred  and 
eighty-seven  dollars  ($187.00).  The  committee  proceeded  at 
once  to  build,  and  on  the  26th  of  the  following  September, 
the  new  house  of  worship  was  pronounced  complete,  at  a  total 
cost  of  eleven  hundred  dollars  ($1100.00),  of  which  four 
hundred  dollars  ($400.00)  was  yet  unpaid.  The  members  of 
the  committee  assumed  personal  responsibility  for  the  debt, 
and  three  days  later,  September  29,  1886,  the  edifice  was  dedi- 
cated, Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  preaching  the  dedicatory  sermon. 

The  remaining  debt  was  paid  by  contributions  from  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and  by  friends  from 
other  churches,  so  that  all  obligations  incurred  on  account  of 
the  new  building  were  cancelled  by  December  8,  1888.^ 

PASTORS. 

Rev.  George  B.  Kagarise  was  elected  pastor  on  the 
day  of  the  organisation,  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  his 
death  on  September  10,  1893.  In  the  mean  time  the  church  was 
visited  occasionally  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  after  the 
death  of  Rev.  George  B.  Kagarise  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  church,  on  September  17,  1893.  The  pastor  visited  the 
church  at  the  time  of  the  Quarterly  Meetings  (communion 
services),  and  remained  for  a  week  or  two,  the  distance  of  the 
church  from  his  home  at  Jane  Lew,  West  Virginia,  being  too 
great  to  permit  more  frequent  visits.  He  resigned  the  pas- 
tora'te  June  14,   1895. 

Rev.  I.ely  Daniel  Seager  became  the  next  pastor,  begin- 
ning his  term  of  service  in  September,  1895.  He,  too,  was  a 
visiting  pastor,  with  his  home  at  Berea,  West  Virginia,  where 
he  was  at  the  same  time  serving  the  Ritchie  Church  as  its 
resident  pastor.  On  June  19,  1896,  he  resigned  as  pastor, 
and   the   church   called   Darwin    C.    Lippincott,   a   student   of 


I.  A    commodious    and    comfortable  parsonage  has  been  erected  since  the  date 
of  the  above  writing,  August  i,  1902. 


REV.   GEORGE  n.    KAGARISE. 


REV.  DARWIN   C.   LIPPINCOTT, 


THE  SALEMVILLE  CHURCH  249 

Salem  College,  Salem,  West  Virginia,  to  serve  in  a  manner 
similar  to  that  of  his  immediate  predecessors.  Beginning  with 
July,  1897,  however,  he  became  the  resident  pastor  of  the 
church.  On  September  28,  1897,  Edward  B.  Saunders,  an 
evangelist  in  the  service  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society,  began  a  series  of  evangelistic  meetings  at  Salem- 
ville,  which  continued  for  a  period  of  four  weeks,  and 
resulted  in  several  additions  to  the  membership  of  the  church. 

On  September  11,  1898,  the  church  called  its  pastor,  Dar- 
win C.  Lippincott,  to  ordination,  and  the  28th  of  the  following 
January  was  fixed  upon  as  the  date  for  the  ordination  service, 
when  the  following  clergymen  were  present  to  assist ;  viz., 
Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman,  pastor  of  the  church  at  Lost  Creek ; 
Rev. Theodore  L.Gardiner, of  the  New  Salem  Church  ;  and  Rev. 
Oscar  U.  Whitford,  of  Westerly,  Rhode  Island,  corresponding 
secretary  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott  terminated  his  term  of  service 
as  pastor  of  the  church,  September  10,  1899.  The  church  was 
now  without  a  pastor  for  more  than  a  year,  Jerome  Kagarise 
supplying  the  pulpit  from  time  to  time.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  German  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  near  by. 

On  November  4,  1900,  the  church  extended  a  call  to  John 
H.  Wolfe  to  act  as  pastor  for  a  period  of  six  months,  and  on 
the  loth  of  March,  1901,  called  him  to  ordination.  He  declined 
ordination,  however,  as  he  wished  to  pursue  his  studies  at 
Alfred  University,  On  the  same  day,  March  10,  1901,  the 
church  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  David  W.  Leath  to  become  its 
pastor  from  the  first  day  of  the  following  June.  The  call 
was  accepted,  but  at  the  end  of  a  year's  service,  he  closed  his 
connection  with  the  church,  and  sought  other  fields  of  labour, 
and  the  church  was  left  without  a  pastor. 

LICENCED   TO    PREACH. 

John  H.  Wolfe  was  licenced  to  preach,  March  6,   1892. 

DEACONS. 

At  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  Jacob 
B.  Kagarise  and  David  E.  Rice  were  elected  to  the  office  of 
deacon. 

On  the  nth  of  March,  1888,  it  was  voted  that  John  Wolfe, 
Sr.,  be  recognised  as  a  deacon. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association, 


250 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


held  with  the  Salemville  Church  in  May,  1902,  Charles  C. 
M^'olfe  was,  on  the  i8th  day  of  that  month,  ordained  deacon. 
All  the  clergymen  in  attendance  at  the  association,  assisted  in 
the  ordination  service. 

CHURCH     CLERKS. 

Noah  B.  Blough  was  elected  the  first  clerk  of  the  church 
on  the  date  of  its  organisation,  December  23,  1885. 

On  January  21,  1887,  George  C.  Long  was  elected  clerk. 

Amos  D.  Wolfe  was  elected  to  the  ofifice  of  clerk  for  a 
term  of  three  years  from  September  4,  1892,  and  has  been 
re-elected  continuously  ever  since. 

CONSTITUENT   MEMBERS  OF   THE   SALEMVILLE   CHURCH. 

George  B.  Kagarise^  Elder, 
Susan  Kagarise^ 
David  E.  Rice, 
Barbara  Rice, 
Noah  B.  Blough, 
Leannah  Blough, 
Jacob  B.  Kagarise, 
Wilson  S.  Kagarise, 
Jennie  Kagarise, 
Esther  Walter, 
Charles  F.  Shriner, 
Nancy  Shriner, 
Jeremiah  Growden, 
Barbara  Growden. 


XVII. 


THE  COPEN  CHURCH. 


iiiigiiiagiiimigiiiiHiiiasiiii 


Sia^I«@ll!g|§ESJl[S^f®N  the  month  of  September,  1887,  a 
'"]  petition  was  drawn  up  by  a  few- 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  residing  on 
Copen  Run,  Braxton  County,  West 
Virginia,  and  presented  to  the 
churches  of  the  South-Eastern 
Association,  praying  for  these 
churches  to  send  delegates  to  sit 
in  council,  on  Copen  Run,  the  even- 
ing after  the  second  Sabbath  of  the 

following  November,  and,  if,  in  the  judgment  of  the  council, 

it  seemed  wise   to   do   so,  to  organise  the  petitioners   into  a 

Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church. 

The  petition  ran  as  follows : — 

"To  the   S[eventh]    D[ay]    B[aptist]     Churches    of    the     S[outh] 
E[astern]  Association,  Greeting: 
"Dear  Brethren  : — 

"We,  the  undersigned,  have  covenanted  together  to  ask  that  you 
will,  with  delegates  and  ministers,  meet  us  in  council  on  Copen  Run, 
Braxton    County,   West   Virginia,   on    the   evening    after    the    second 
Sabbath   in   November  next,   to   consider  the   propriety  of   organizing 
a  S[eventh]  D[ay]   B[aptist]  church  at  this  place. 
"Respectfully  yours  in  Christ, 
"CiNDRiLLA  Shock, 
"A.  Shock, 

"W.   L.   WiLDMAN, 

"Mary  E.  Wildman, 

"Sally  C.  Wildman, 

"Emily  A.  Wildman^ 

"Mary  G.  Wildman, 

"Bird  Wildman, 

"U.  C.  Shock,  , 


252 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


"Virginia  Shock, 
"W.  T.  W.  Davis, 
"S.  B.  Davis, 
"N.  C.  D.  Bond, 
"Clara  Shock, 
"w.  a.  gochenour." 

In  accordance  with  the  petition,  on  November  12,  1887, 
delegates  from  the  several  churches  met  as  follows : — 

From  the  New  Salem  Church : — 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis. 
From  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

Rev.  John  L.  Huffman. 
From  the  Middle  Island  Church : — 

Nathan  Kelley, 

John  A.   Polan. 
From  the  Ritchie  Church : — 

Asa  F.  Randolph, 

Elisha  J.  Maxson. 
From  the  Greenbrier  Church : — 

Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick, 

Riley  G.  Davis, 

EtH ELBERT   J.    DaVIS, 

G.  Wise  Clarke. 
From  the  Bear  Fork,  Conings,  Church : — 
Jabez  B.  Spurgeon, 
Joshua  C.  Spurgeon. 
The  council  was  called  to  order  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis, 
and  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman. 

Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick  was  elected  chairman,  and  Ethel- 
bert  J.  Davis,  secretary,  of  the  council. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  believe  that  the  time  has  come  when  the 
good  of  the  cause  of  Christ  and  the  best  interests  of  God's  people  in 
this  vicinity,  demand  the  organisation  of  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church  here ;  and  further,  that  we  proceed  to  organise  such  a  church 
to  be  known  as  the  Copen  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  of  the  persons 
whose  names  are  attached  to  the  petition  calling  for  the  council." 

Pursuant  to  the  foregoing  resolution,  the  following  named 
individuals  were  declared  organised  into  a  church : — 

William  L.  Wildman, 
Mary  E.  Wildman, 
Emily  A.  Nettie  Wildman, 
Sally  C.  Wildman, 
Cora  Bird  Wildman, 


THE  COPEN  CHURCH  253 

Mary  Wildman, 
Waitman  T.  Willey  Davis, 
Louisa  Bell  Davis, 
Albert  Shock, 

CiNDERILLA    ShOCK, 

Uriah  C.  Shock, 
IvA  Virginia  Shock, 
Clara  Ethel  Shock, 
William  Alonzo  Gochenour. 

Articles   of   faith   and   practise   were   adopted   similar  to 
those  of  other  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches. 
The  following  officers  were  chosen: — 

Albert   Shock,  Moderator, 

Uriah  C.  Shock,  Clerk, 

Waitman  T.  Willey  Davis,  Treasurer, 

William  L.  Wildman,  Deacon. 

The  following  service  was  then  conducted  for  the  purpose 
of  ordaining  the  newly  appointed  deacon  : — 

Prayer.     By  Rev.   Hiram   P.   Burdick,  accompanied  by  the  impo- 
sition of  hands. 

Charge  to  the  Candidate.     By  Deacon  Asa  F.  Randolph. 
Charge  to  the  Church.     By  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis. 

The  book  of  records  of  the  church  contains,  in  addition 
to  the  minutes  of  the  council  of  organisation,  the  minutes  of 
but  six  business  meetings  of  the  church.  The  first  appears 
under  date  of  November  13,  1887,  the  day  following  the  date 
of  the  organisation;  the  last,  i\Iay,  1891. 

On  November  13,  1887,  the  church  voted  to  hold  weekly 
service  for  worship  on  Sabbath  morning,  and  invited  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis  to  attend  their  Quarterly  Meetings. 

On  February  10,  1888,  the  church  took  initial  steps 
toward  uniting  with  the  churches  of  other  denominations  in 
the  neighbourhood  in  building  a  union  meeting  house.  But 
nothing  appears  to  have  come  of  the  action. 

After  the  organisation  of  the  church,  there  were  added 
the  following  members  : — 

N.  Clayton  D.  Bond, 

Sarah  C.\tharixe  Hitt, 

Jennie  Steele,  (joined  August  8,  1890). 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

On  May  11,  1888,  the  church  voted  to  request  admission 
to  the  South-Eastern  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Association;  and 


254      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

at  the  annual  session  of  that  body,  held  with  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  in  May  following,  the  request  was  presented  and 
granted.  The  church  continued  to  be  recognised  as  an  active 
member  of  the  association  as  late  as  its  annual  session  in 
1896. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference  held  at 
Leonardsville,  New  York,  in  August,  1888,  the  Copen  Church 
became  a  member  of  the  General  Conference.  The  church 
has  not  been  represented  at  Conference,  by  delegate  or  other- 
wise, since  1890. 

OFFICERS. 

The  officers  elected  at  the  time  of  the  organisation,  con- 
tinued in  office,  and  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  the  only  pastor 
of  the  church. 

RECORDS. 

The  records  of  the  Copen  Church  are  at  the  date  of  this 
writing  in  the  hands  of  Albert  Shock,  of  Burnsville,  West 
Virginia. 


XVIIL 


THE  WEST  UNION  CHURCH. 


iinri 


5» ;» J»  "*iiULJUU«JLIUL*Jl#  «<  «<  «^ 


N  the  28th  of  September,  1888,  a 
council  convened  at  West  Union, 
Doddridge  County,  West  Virginia, 
at  the  call  of  a  number  of  Sabbath- 
keepers  in  that  vicinity,  to  consider 
the  propriety  of  organising  a  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptist  church  at  that 
place.  The  following  delegates 
were  present: —  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis  and  Preston  F.  Randolph, 
from  the  New  Salem  Church ;  Rev.  Hiram  P.  Burdick  from  the 
Middle  Island  and  Greenbrier  churches ;  Rev.  James  B.  Davis 
and  Johnson  Joseph  Lowther,  from  the  Middle  Island  Church ; 
and  Mrs.  Laura  Ford  and  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  from  the 
Lost  Creek  Church. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  elected  chairman,  and  Festus 
P.  Ford,  secretary,  of  the  council. 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  it  is  the  opinion  of  this  council  that  the  inter- 
ests of  the  cause  of  God  would  be  better  advanced  by  organising  a 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  in  the  vicinity  of  West  Union,  West 
Virginia,  and  we  now  recommend  that  the  brethren  and  sisters  living 
in  this  vicinity  proceed  at  once  to  organise  such  a  church." 

A  committee  to  draft  articles  of  faith  and  a  covenant,  in 
order  to  carry  out  the  object  of  the  foregoing  resolution,  was 
appointed.  The  council  then  adjourned  until  the  following 
day  at  10:30  o'clock  a.  m.,  when  it  again  met. 

An  expose  of  faith  and  practise,  and  a  covenant  were 
presented  by  the  committee  and  adopted.  The  church  was  then 
organised  with  the  following  constituent  members : — 


256      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Festus  p.  Ford, 

E.  Jane  Ford, 

S.  Preston  Davis, 

Kate  Davis, 

Emma  J.  Davis, 

James  Ford, 

Talitha  W.  Ford, 

Septimius  Ardvern  Ford, 

Samuel  L.  Ford, 

Laur.\  a.  Ford, 

LiLLiE  M.  Ford, 

N.  Victoria  Husted, 

Delia  Ann  Jeffrey^ 

Melissa  Davis, 

C.  Laton  Ford. 

The  constituent  membership  was  drawn  almost  wholly 
from  the  Xew  Salem  and  Middle  Ilsand  churches. 

On  the  following  day  a  business  meeting  of  the  church 
was  called,  at  which  the  following  officers  were  elected : — 
James  Ford,  Moderator, 
Kate  Davis,  Clerk, 
S.  Ppeston,  Davis,  Treasurer, 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  Pastor. 
Festus  P.  Ford  and  Samuel  L.  Ford  were  ordained  dea- 
cons, and  Experience  Davis  and  OIlie  Sullivan  were  received 
as  members,  and  a  constitution  adopted  at  this  meeting.    The 
name  was  also  selected  as  follows : — the  seventh  day  bap- 
tist  CHURCH   OF   WEST   UNION,   WEST  VIRGINIA. 

The  public  school  house,  known  as  the  Rock  Run  School 
House,  was  used  as  a  house  of  worship ;  and,  on  the  19th 
of  April,  1889,  a  committee  was  appointed  to  fTnd  a  suitable 
lot  on  which  to  erect  a  meeting  house,  and  report  at  the  next 
business  meeting  of  the  church,  when  the  committee  reported 
progress  and  was  continued. 

At  a  meeting  held  on  the  i8th  of  October,  following,  the 
committee  reported  that  they  had  secured  an  option  on  a  lot 
belonging  to  Franklin  Maxwell  just  east  of  the  old  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  graveyard,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  public 
road  from  it,  at  West  Union,  and  recommended  its  purchase. 
The  recommendation  of  the  committee  was  adopted,  the  lot 
was  purchased,  and  the  following  trustees  appointed: — 
Gamble  S.  Davis,  Herman  Davis,  Septimius  Ardvern  Ford, 
Festus  P.  Ford,  and  Samuel  L,  Ford. 
(16) 


THE  WEST  UNION  CHURCH  2^7 

On  the  1 8th  of  April,  1890,  the  church  called  Rev.  Marcus 
E.  Martin  as  pastor  of  the  church  for  six  months.  The  call 
was  accepted,  and  service  began  at  once. 

On  the  20th  of  September,  1890,  a  committee  of  five  was 
appointed  to  solicit  funds  for  the  purpose  of  building  a  house 
of  worship.  On  the  17th  of  October  following,  the  soliciting 
committee  reported  subscriptions  aggregating  two  hundred 
and  ninety-three  dollars  and  fifty  cents  ($293.50).  A  building 
committee  was  then  appointed  to  proceed  to  build  and  complete 
the  meeting  house. 

At  the  same  meeting  the  pastor.  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin, 
was  invited  to  continue  his  labours  with  the  church  for 
another  year. 

On  the  i8th  of  January,  1891,  the  committee  appointed 
to  close  the  purchase  of  the  lot  for  the  house  of  worship 
reported  that  he  had  not  yet  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  deed 
for  it.  On  the  same  day  the  building  committee  reported  that 
they  had  decided  to  build  a  meeting  house  forty-five  feet  long 
by  thirty  feet  wide,  and  that  they  had  made  a  contract  for  the 
necessary  timber  for  the  frame,  and  were  awaiting  the  delivery 
of  the  deed  for  the  lot. 

On  the  19th  of  the  following  April,  the  committee  reported 
to  the  church  that  they  had  been  unable  to  obtain  the  deed  as 
yet,  but  had  reason  to  hope  that  it  would  be  delivered  soon. 
The  building  committee  reported  that  they  had  done  nothing, 
pending  the  delivery  of  the  deed. 

On  the  loth  of  January,  1892,  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin 
received  and  accepted  a  call  to  continue  his  labours  as  pastor 
of  the  church  for  another  year. 

On  the  15th  of  May,  1892,  the  committee  on  purchase  of 
the  lot,  reported  that  a  deed  had  been  received  and  the  lot 
paid  for. 

Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin  discontinued  his  pastoral  relations 
with  the  church  at  the  end  of  the  year  1892,  and  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Davis  accepted  a  call  to  visit  the  church  once  a  month 
during  the  following  year. 

On  the  13th  of  April,  1894,  the  church  held  its  last  busi- 
ness meeting,  at  which  delegates  were  appointed  to  the  asso- 
ciation and  the  clerk  was  directed  to  write  a  letter  to  the  asso- 
ciation. 


258      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Some  of  the  families  composing  the  membership  of  the 
church  moved  away  about  this  time  and  left  the  organisation 
too  weak  to  sustain  itself.  The  most  of  the  membership, 
accordingly,  was  transferred  to  other  churches,  principally 
the  New  Salem  and  Middle  Island  churches. 

The  lot  purchased  upon  which  to  erect  a  house  of  worship, 
was  sold  by  order  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Doddridge  County, 
and  the  proceeds  applied  toward  the  liquidation  of  the  debts 
of  the  church. 

It  is  a  cause  of  sincere  regret  that  the  West  Union 
Church,  the  second,  and  it  may  almost  fairly  be  called  the  third, 
attempt  to  establish  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  at  West 
Union,  should  result  in  so  signal  a  failure. 

West  Union,  like  Salem,  is  one  of  those  stragetic  points, 
which  give  strength,  stability,  and  character  to  any  religious 
denomination,  and  especially  to  one  whose  test  of  fealty  is  as 
critical  as  that  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists. 

The  village  of  West  Union  was  laid  out  on  the  lands  of 
Captain  Nathan  Davis,  a  soldier  of  the  War  of  1812,  and 
an  influential  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church. 

He  exerted  his  influence,  to  the  utmost,  to  have  the  Mid- 
dle Island  Church  erect  a  house  of  worship  in  West  Union, 
at  the  time  that  village  was  established  by  act  of  the  General 
Assembly  of  Virginia,  in  1845,  offering  to  contribute  gener- 
ously for  that  purpose ;  but  without  avail.  Afterward  the 
West  Union  Academy  w^as  established  at  West  Union,  but  it 
was  short-lived,  and  when  the  Middle  Island  Church  was 
finally  resuscitated  and  re-organised,  it  had  to  be  removed  to 
New  Milton,  several  miles  away,  in  order  to  keep  it  alive. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association 
held  with  the  church  at  Salem,  in  May,  1889,  the  West  Union 
Church  was,  upon  its  petition,  received  into  membership  in 
that  body ;  and  in  the  following  August,  at  the  annual  session 
of  the  General  Conference,  at  Alfred,  New  York,  the  church 
became  a  member  of  the  General  Conference  also. 

RECORDS. 

The  records  of  the  church  are  now  in  the  care  of  Samuel 
L.  Ford,  one  of  the  deacons  of  the  defunct  church.  His  Post 
Office  address  is  West  Union,  West  Virginia. 


THE  WEST  UNION  CHURCH 


259 


MODERATOR. 


On  September,  30,  1888,  at  the  first  business  meeting  of 
the  church  held  after  its  organisation,  James  Ford  was  elected 
moderator.  His  death  on  the  31st  of  December  following,  left 
the  office  vacant,  and  on  the  19th  of  April,  1889,  his  son 
Septimius  Ardvern  Ford  was  elected  in  his  stead. 

At  a  later  date,  some-time  before  January  10,  1892,  Gamble 
S.  Davis  became  moderator,  and  continued  in  that  office  until 
the  dissolution  of  the  church. 

CLERK. 

Miss  Kate  Davis,  the  only  clerk  of  the  church,  was  elected 
on  September  30,  1888,  at  the  first  business  meeting  held  after 
the  organisation  of  the  church. 

A  LIST  OF  THE   NAMES  OF  THE   MEMBERS   OF  THE   WEST   UNION 
CHURCH,  TOGETHER  WITH  THE  DATE  OF  THEIR  RECEPTION. 

Festus  p.  Ford, 
E.  Jane  Ford, 
Kate  Davis, 
James  Ford, 
Talitha  W.  Ford, 
Miss  E.  J.  Davis, 
Samuel  L.  Ford, 
Laura  A.  Ford, 
S.  Ardvern  Ford, 
LiLLiE  M.  Ford, 
S.  Preston  Davis, 
Delia  Ann  Jeffrey, 
Mrs.  N.  Victoria  Husted, 
C.  Laton  Ford, 
Melissa  Davis, 
Ollie  Sullivan, 
Experience  Davis  Polan, 
Benjamin  Kinney, 
C.  C.  Davis, 
Gamble  S.  Davis, 
Alv^ilda  Davis, 
Harmon  Davis, 
Mary  D.  Davis, 
Xenia  Davis  Holfs, 
Cecelia  Davis, 
Melvina  Davis  Furhy, 
Irene  Belle  Davis  Ford, 
Sylvanus  Davis, 


Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member. 

Constituent 

member, 

Constituent 

member. 

September 

30,    1888, 

September 

30,    1888, 

September 

30,    1888, 

April  28, 

1889, 

June  9, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  20, 

1889, 

July  21, 

1889, 

January  18, 

1890, 

26o      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 


William  Davis, 
Eli  R.  Davis, 
Okey  S.  Davis, 
Newton  Davis, 
Anderson  Davis, 
Maggie  E.  Davis, 


January  i8. 

1890, 

May  10, 

1890, 

May  10, 

1890, 

May  10, 

1890, 

February  23, 

1893. 

July  9, 

1893, 

^v-^  /^^r    .r^._    /^^'J-zr*.':   rr^--~-^:^-   unJf^   -^^^   -^^^   -^^^   -^^^  -^^^  ' 


XIX. 


THE  BLACK  LICK  CHURCH. 


El  .- 

l|l!i»£j  ESSIl 


N  response  to  a  request  from  members 
of  the  New  Salem,  Greenbrier, 
West  Union,  and  Middle  Island 
churches  residing  in  the  vicinity  of 
Black  Lick  Run,  near  Long  Run 
Station,  in  Doddridge  County,  a 
council  composed  of  delegates  from 
the  New  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  Green- 
brier, Middle  Island,  Ritchie,  and 
West  Union  churches,  met  at  the 
Trough  School  House,  near  the  mouth  of  Black  Lick  Run,  on 
the  evening  after  the  Sabbath,  January  20,  1894,  to  consider 
the  feasibility  of  organising  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  at 
that  place. 

The  following  delegates  were  in  attendance  from  their 
respective  churches : — 

New  Salem: — 

Rev.  John  L.  Huffman, 

Darwin  C.  Lippincott. 
Lost  Creek : — 

Rev.  John  L.  Huffman, 

Rev.  William  L.  Burdick. 
Greenbrier : — 

Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin, 

Ethelbert  J.  Davis,  > 

Alfred  N.  Meek, 

Riley  G.  Davis. 
Middle   Island:— 

Johnson  Joseph  Lowther, 

Archibald  W.  Kelley, 

John  A.  Polan, 

Samuel  A.  Ford. 


262      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

Ritchie : — 

Joshua  Bond, 
West  Union : — 

Sylvanus  Davis. 

The  council  organised  by  electing  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman, 
moderator,  and  Rev.  William  L.  Burdick,  secretary. 

After  a  general  discussion  of  the  question  in  hand,  it  was 
voted  to  organise  a  church.  Accordingly  a  constitution,  arti- 
cles of  faith  and  practise,  and  a  covenant  were  adopted. 

On  the  following  morning,  the  organisation  of  the  church 
was  completed  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers : — 

Alfred  N.  Meek,  Moderator, 
Gertrude  Cottrille,  Secretary, 
Sylvanus  Davis,  Treasurer. 

It  was  voted  to  recognise  Cornelius  S.  Davis  as  a  deacon, 
since  he  had  been  ordained  previously  to  that  office  by  the 
Greenbrier  Church, 

The  organisation  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  John 
L.  Huffman,  after  which  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin  gave  the 
right  hand  of  fellowship  to  the  members  of  the  new  church, 
and  the  work  of  the  council  was  completed. 

MEMBERSHIP  IN  SUPERIOUR  BODIES. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association 
held  at  Roanoke,  West  Virginia,  beginning  May  17,  1894, 
the  Black  Lick  Church  was  received  into  the  association ;  and 
at  the  annual  session  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference held  at  Brookfield,  New  York,  in  September,  1894, 
the  church  became  a  member  of  that  body  also. 

HOUSE   OF   WORSHIP. 

The  Black  Lick  Church  after  its  organisation  united  with 
the  Baptist  Church  in  the  same  neighbourhood,  in  building  a 
house  of  worship  on  the  Buckeye  Fork  of  Middle  Island 
Creek,  at  the  mouth  of  Black  Lick  Run.  This  building  the 
Black  Lick  Church  continues  to  use. 

PASTORS. 

At  a  business  meeting  of  the  church  held  April  20,  1894, 
Alvin  M,  Davis,  Darwin  C.  Lippincott,  and  Rev.  IMarcus  E. 
Martin  were  each  cordially  invited  to  preach  for  the  church 
when  convenient  to  them. 

On  January  18,  1895,  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin,  Darwin  C. 


THE  BLACK  LICK  CHURCH  263 

Lippincott,  and  Riley  G.  Davis  were  invited  to  preach  to  the 
church  at  their  convenience. 

On  the  17th  of  April,  1897,  Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin  was 
called  to  the  pastorate  of  the  church,  and  continued  to  serve 
in  that  capacity  for  two  years. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  1899,  the  Black  Lick  Church  united 
with  the  Middle  Island  and  Greenbrier  churches  in  calling  Rev. 
David  W.  Leath,  who  was  already  upon  the  field,  to  the  pas- 
torate of  the  three  churches,  his  term  of  service  to  date  from 
May  I,  1899.  He  served  the  three  churches  in  this  manner 
for  two  years,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Darwin  C.  Lippin- 
cott, who  entered  upon  his  duties  May  i,  1901. 

LICENCED   TO   PREACH. 

Alvin  M.  Davis  was  licenced  to  preach  for  one  year, 
April  20,  1894.  This  licence  was  renewed  for  another  year, 
January  18,  1895,  and  on  January  17,  1896,  licence  was  granted 
him  for  an  indefinite  period. 

DEACONS. 

Cornelius  S.  Davis,  one  of  the  constituent  members  of 
the  church,  had  been  ordained  previous  to  the  organisation 
of  the  Black  Lick  Church,  by  the  Greenbrier  Church,  of  which 
he  was  then  a  member.  The  Black  Lick  Church  recognised 
him  as  a  deacon  from  the  time  of  its  organisation. 

Theodore  Davis  was  chosen  deacon  April  20,  1894,  and 
was  ordained  to  that  office  on  Sabbath  Day,  July  21,  1894. 

MODERATORS. 

At  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  Alfred  N. 
Meek  was  elected  moderator.  He  was  succeeded  after  his 
term  of  service  had  expired  by  Alvin  M.  Davis,  who  still  occu- 
pies that  office. 

CLERKS. 

At  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  church,  Gertrude 
Cottrille  was  elected  clerk.  She  was  succeeded  on  January 
18,  1895,  by  Sylvanus  Davis,  the  present  clerk. 

CONSTITUENT  MEMBERS. 

Sylvanus  Davis, 

Elizabeth  A.  Davis,  wife  of  Sylvanus, 

Alfred  N.  Meek, 

Lucetta  Meek^ 

John  J.  Davis, 


264      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Nancy  I.  Davt:s, 
Sarah  E.  Cottrille, 
Nancy  Davis, 
Delilah  Davis, 
May  M.  Hutson, 
Delia  L.  Hutson, 
Addie  Cottrille, 
Gertrude  Cottrille, 
Gladie  Davis, 
Jean  Davis, 
Alvin  M.  Davis, 
Theodore  Davis, 
Marvel  Davis, 
Lora  Davis, 
Ananias  Davis, 
Charlotte  Davis, 
Zania  Davis, 
Cornelius  S.  Davis, 
Hannah  Davis, 
Leda  Davis, 
Polina  S.  W.  Davis, 
Arthur  Davis, 
Victoria  Davis, 
Maria  Davis, 
Ananias  R.  Davis, 
Elijah  Davis, 
Nancy  E.  Davis, 
Loverna  Beatrice  Davis, 
Artilla  Davis. 


XX. 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION. 


^^«ll^pfT?«I|^^,^E    Seventh    Day    Baptist    General 
^^¥-S:S-^'^'^'gl^^S^S^^^     Conference  at    its    annual    session 


mm 


m 

fV Lr-;  K  »  « '-»l^';,j-J  «-"  s  K  K  ,'Jts 


Conference  at  its  annual  session 
held  with  the  First  Hopkinton 
Church,  of  Rhode  Island,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1835,  took  the  following 
action : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  a  committee  of 
six  be  appointed  to  draft  a  plan  for  the 
new  arrangement  of  Conference  and 
prepare  a  complete  system,  for  the  con- 
sideration of  Conference,  and  that  breth- 
ren Orson  Campbell,  Alexander  Campbell,  Joel  Greene,  Amos  R. 
Wells,  Nathan  V.  Hull,  and  Ebenezer  Davis  be  said  committee." 

This  committee  at  the  same  session  of  the  General  Con- 
ference, rendered  a  report,  which  was  adopted  as  follows : — 

"That  upon  mature  reflection,  we  deem  it  expedient  that  the  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptist  churches  in  the  United  States,  form  themselves 
into  three  associations,  which  may  properly  be  denominated  the  Eastern, 
Middle,  and  Western  associations,  which  shall  hold  sessions  in  each 
year,  a  little  prior  to  the  sitting  of  the  General  Conference;  and  we 
would  suggest  the  appointment  of  twelve  delegates,  to  sit  in  the  Con- 
ference, from  each  of  the  several  associations. 

"And  that  the  churches  in  Rhode  Island,  New  Jersey,  and  Con- 
necticut, form  the  Eastern ;  and  the  churches  east  of  Alleghany  County, 
New  York,  and  west  of  the  Hudson  River,  form  the  Middle;  leaving 
to  the  choice  of  the  churches  of  Berlin,  Petersburgh,  and  Schenectady, 
to  attach  themselves  either  to  the  Eastern  or  Middle,  as  they  wish ; 
and  that  all  the  churches  including  Alleghany  [County],  on  westward 
and   south,   form   the   Western. 

"Alexander  Campbell, 

"Secretary  of  Committee." 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  action  of  the  General 
Conference  the  churches  in  western  Virginia  were  included  in 


266      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  territory  covered  by  the  Western  Association.  Accord- 
ingly at  the  annual  session  of  the  Western  Association,  held 
with  the  Second  Alfred  Church,  at  Alfred,  New  York,  in 
June,  1837,  the  Lost  Creek  and  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
churches  in  Virginia,  made  application  for  membership  in  that 
body,  and  were  duly  accepted.  The  New  Salem  Church  sent 
an  application  also,  but  it  arrived  too  late  for  action  at  that 
session  of  the  association.  However,  at  the  next  annual  session 
of  the  association,  held  with  the  church  at  Clarence,  Erie 
County,  New  York,  in  June,  1838,  the  request  was  formally 
presented,  and  granted. 

Before  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Western  Associa- 
tion, the  churches  of  western  Virginia,  south-western  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  state  of  Ohio,  had  organised  themselves  into 
the  South-Western  Association,  which  upon  application,  was 
admitted  into  the  General  Conference,  at  its  annual  session, 
held  with  the  First  Brookfield  Church,  at  Brookfield,  New 
York,  in  September,  1839.  Joel  Greene  and  James  H.  Coch- 
ran represented  the  South-Western  Association  at  this  session 
of  the  General  Conference. 

This  organisation  was  the  outgrowth  of  a  convention  of 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  of  Ohio  and  Virginia,  held  at 
Lost  Creek,  Virginia,  February  23,  1839,  apparently  under  the 
leadership  of  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  who  at  that  time  was  engaged 
in  missionary  labour  among  the  churches  of  western  Virginia. 

After  prayer  by  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  the  convention  organ- 
ised by  appointing  Lewis  Bond,  moderator,  and  Lewis  A. 
Davis,  secretary.  After  Joel  Greene  had  stated  the  object  of 
the  convention,  it  was  voted  that  measures  be  taken  to  form 
an  association,  and  Lewis  A.  Davis,  Lewis  Bond,  and  Levi 
H.  Bond  were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  a  constitution 
to  be  presented  at  the  next  meeting  with  such  resolutions  as 
might  be  thought  advisable.  The  convention  met  on  the  fol- 
lowing day,  when  the  report  of  the  committee  was  called  for, 
and  the  following  resolutions  presented  by  them  were  unani- 
mously adopted : — 

"i.  RESOLVED,  That  the  location  and  circumstances  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in  this  country,  in  our  opinion,  render 
it  desirable  and  expedient  that  an  association  be  organised. 

"2.  RESOLVED,  That  we  respectfully  solicit  our  brethren  of 
the  Western  Association  to  send  us  a  number  of  brethren,  to  sit  with 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION  267 

us  in  council,  and  if  thought  proper,  to  assist  in  the  organisation  of 
an  association,  and  that  the  time  of  our  meeting  be  fixed  on  the  7th 
day  of  August  next. 

"3.  RESOLVED,  Unanimously,  That  we  feel  under  great  obli- 
gations to  the  Missionary  Society  for  the  aid  hitherto  afforded  us, 
and  that  we  solicit  a  continuance  of  their  fostering  care,  and  we 
solemnly  pledge  ourselves  to  use  our  best  exertions  to  co-operate  with 
them  to  sustain  the  interest  of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in  this  country 
by  supplying  the  Gospel,  in  the  hope  that  at  a  future  time  we  may  be 
able  to  contribute  our  share  to  send  the  Gospel  to  those  who  may  be 
dependent  as  we  are  now. 

"4.  RESOLVED,  That  Abel  Bond,  Levi  H.  Bond,  Gamble 
Shannon,  Lewis  Bond,  and  Lewis  A.  Davis,  be  a  committee  to  corre- 
spond with  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  S[eventh]  D[ay  Baptist] 
Missionary  Society  in  behalf  of  the  churches  in  reference  to  the  pros- 
pects orf  future  supplies  of  missionary  helps,  etc.,  in  this  country. 

"5.  RESOLVED,  That  the  secretary  of  this  convention  revise 
the  minutes  of  its  proceedings  and  forward  the  same  to  the  editor  of 
the  Protestant  Sentinel  for  publication. 

"6.  RESOLVED,  That  this  convention  adjourn  to  meet  at  this 
place,  on  the  Fourth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  second  Sabbath  in 
August  next,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.^  and  that  Brother  L.  A.  Davis 
deliver  an  introductory  discourse  on  that  occasion;  Bro.  Lewis  Bond 
[to  be]   his  substitute  in  case  of  failure." 

Before  adjournment,  the  date  of  tlie  First  Annual  Session 
was  fixed  for  Atigust  7,  1839,  and  the  place  of  meeting  was 
Lost  Creek ;  at  which  time  and  place  the  association  con- 
vened, and  the  introductory  discourse  was  preached  by  Lewis 
Bond,  after  which  the  association  organised  for  business  by 
appointing  Lewis  Bond,  moderator,  and  James  Bailey  and 
Richard  C.  Bond,  clerks. 

Seven  churches  appeared  as  members  of  the  association. 
Those  of  Virginia  were : —  The  New  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  North 
Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River. 
Those  of  Ohio  were: —  The  Pike,  and  Temperance  Reform 
Pike  churches,  both  of  Clark  County.  From  Pennsylvania, 
was  the  Woodbridgetown  Church  of  Fayette  County.  These 
seven  churches  represented  a  total  membership  of  two  hundred 
and  seventy-one  [271]. 

James  Bailey  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the  Central 
Association,  and  James  H.  Cochran  from  the  Western.  Lewis 
Bond  was  appointed  delegate  to  the  Western  Association  with 
Peter  Davis  as  his  alternate ;  and  James  Bailey  delegate  to  the 
Central  Association.    Joel  Greene  and  James  H.  Cochran  were 


268      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

appointed  delegates  to  the  General  Conference  from  this  asso- 
ciation. Apparently  the  seeds  of  the  discord,  which  was  finally 
to  destroy  the  organisation,  appeared  in  this  first  annual  con- 
vention, for  we  find  that  the  two  churches  at  Pike  sent  com- 
munications which  were  referred  to  a  committee,  whose  report 
was  adopted  but  not  permitted  to  be  entered  upon  the  minutes. 
The  constitution  which  was  adopted  was  as  follows : — 

"Art.  I.  This  association  may  be  composed  of  such  churches  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  order,  as  are  now  located  in  the  states  of 
Virginia,  Ohio,  and  the  church  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  and 
such  other  churches  as  may  from  time  to  time  be  received  by  the 
association  at  its  annual  sessions;  and  shall  be  known  by  the  name  of 
the  'Seventh  Day  Baptist  South-Western  Association.' 

"Art.  2.  This  association  shall  hold  an  annual  meeting  at  such 
time  and  place  as  shall  be  agreed  on  at  the  preceding  annual  meeting 
and  shall  be  composed  of  the  elders  and  delegates  from  the  several 
churches  of  which  it  is  composed. 

"Art.  3.  A  discourse  shall  be  delivered  at  the  opening  of  each 
session  of  the  association,  after  which  a  moderator,  one  or  more  secre- 
taries, and  a  treasurer,  shall  be  chosen. 

"It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  moderator  to  preserve  order  during 
the  deliberations  of  the  association ;  and  he  shall  have  a  casting  vote 
in  case  of  an  equal  division. 

"The  secretary  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  transactions  of  the 
association  at  its  annual  meetings,  and  shall  record  the  same  in  a  book, 
to  be  provided  for  that  purpose,  which  shall  be  presented  at  the  annual 
meetings  of  the  association,  together  with  all  valuable  papers  belonging 
to  the  association,  and  shall  deliver  the  same  to  his  successor. 

"Art.  4.  All  resolutions  shall  be  presented  in  writing,  and  no 
resolution  or  motion  shall  be  put  by  the  moderator,  or  debated  by  the 
members  of  the  association,  unless  said  resolutions  shall  have  been 
seconded. 

"All  resolutions  or  motions  shall,  in  ordinary  cases,  be  decided  by 
a  majority  of  the  members  of  the  association;  but  in  all  cases,  when 
requested,  they  shall  be  decided  by  the  churches ;  i.  e.,  the  delegates 
of  each  church  shall  give  but  one  vote,  which  shall  be  decided  by  a 
majority  of  its  representatives. 

"Art.  5.  This  association  shall  choose  annually,  a  corresponding 
secretary,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  correspond  with  other  associations, 
with  the  General  Conference,  and  with  every  other  body  whereby  the 
cause  of  truth  may  be  advanced ;  and  shall  submit  his  correspondence 
to  the  examination  of  the  association  at  its  annual  session. 

"Art.  6.  This  association  shall  not  interfere  with  the  internal  con- 
cerns of  the  churches  of  which  it  is  composed,  so  as  to  infringe  on  their 
independence ;  but  shall  act  as  an  advisory  council  when  necessary. 
In  case  any  church  shall  depart  from  the  faith,  or  become  corrupt  in 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION  269 

practise,  this  association  may  inquire  into  such  defect,  and  labour  with 
them;  and  if  they  cannot  be  reclaimed,  they  may  be  dropped  from  the 
association. 

"Art.  7.  All  elders  not  examined  and  ordained  by  the  Presbytery 
of  the  General  Conference,  or  this  association,  shall  be  examined  by 
a  committee  appointed  by  the  association,  before  they  are  admitted  as 
members  thereof. 

"Art.  8.  This  association  shall,  at  its  annual  meetings,  appoint  a 
number  of  delegates  (the  number  to  be  agreed  on  annually)  to  repre- 
sent this  association  and  to  represent  it  to  the  General  Conference 
at  its  meetings. 

"Art.  9.  No  alteration  shall  be  made  to  these  articles,  unless  such 
alterations  shall  have  been  presented  at  a  preceding  annual  meeting 
and  approved  by  a  majority  of  the  churches  represented." 

The  Second  Annual  Session  of  the  South-Western  Asso- 
ciation was  held  at  New  Salem,  Virginia,  beginning  August 
20,  1840.  The  introductory  discourse  was  preached  by  Lewis 
Bond,  in  the  absence  of  Ezekiel  Bee  who  had  been  appointed 
for  that  purpose. 

The  association  organised  with  Lewis  Bond  as  moderator, 
and  Henry  R.  Stillman  and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  as  secre- 
taries. Stillman  Coon  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the  Western 
Association.  The  churches  reporting  were  as  follows  : —  Lost 
Creek,  New  Salem,  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  North 
Fork  of  Hughes  River,  in  Virginia ;  Woodbridgetown  of  Penn- 
sylvania; Pike  and  North  Hampton  of  Ohio.  The  last  named 
was  known  the  year  before,  as  the  Temperance  Reform  Church 
of  Pike.  The  grievances  presented  the  preceding  year  by 
two  Ohio  churches  were,  at  this  session,  referred  to  a  com- 
mittee, who  reported  that,  in  their  belief,  a  committee  should 
be  appointed  to  labour  to  efifect  a  reconciliation,  either  in  per- 
son or  by  writing,  and  Rev.  Stillman  Coon  and  Lewis  Bond 
were  named  as  such  committee.  Lewis  Sammons  was 
appointed  a  delegate  to  the  Western  Association,  and  William 
F.  Randolph  as  his  alternate.  The  association  adjourned  to 
meet  with  the  church  at  North  Hampton  in  Pike  Township, 
Clarke  County,  Ohio,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  on  the  Fifth  Day 
of  the  week  before  the  second  Sabbath  in  October,  1841. 

The  Third  Annual  Session  of  the  South-Western  Asso- 
ciation convened  at  the  time  and  place  appointed,  and  the 
introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Lewis  A.  Davis,  after 
which  the  association  organised  for  business  by  the  appoint- 


270      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

ment  of  John  Forsythe  as  moderator  and  Lemon  Lippincott 
and  John  Babcock  as  clerks.  The  following  churches 
reported: —  From  Virginia;  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek. 
From  Ohio ;  Pike  and  North  Hampton.  The  Woodbridgetown 
Church,  of  Pennsylvania,  made  no  report.  The  South  Fork 
of  Hughes  River,  and  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  churches, 
in  Virginia,  also  failed  to  report. 

Aside  from  the  discord  existing  among  the  Ohio  churches 
there  appears  to  have  been  entire  harmony  and  union  through- 
out the  sessions  of  the  association,  for  the  report  of  the  com- 
mittee on  the  state  of  religion  expresses  gratitude  for  the 
harmony  and  union  apparent  in  most  of  the  churches. 

At  this  session  of  the  association,  Bethuel  C.  Church  pre- 
sented himself  as  a  candidate  for  ordination,  when  the  asso- 
ciation took  the  following  action : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  believe  that  he  [Bethel  C.  Church]  ought 
to  be  ordained  and  that  the  case  be  referred  to  the  Presbytery  of  this 
association,  who  shall  examine  and  ordain  him  if  they  think  proper." 

At  this  early  date  the  temperance  question  received  con- 
sideration, as  is  shown  by  the  following  preamble  and  resolu- 
tion, which  were  unanimously  adopted : — 

Whereas,  Intemperance  is  a  prolific  source  of  evil,  moral  and 
physical ;   therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  this  association  sustain  the  cause  of  tem- 
perance as  advocated  by  its  friends  in  the  United  States." 

Joshua  Hill  was  appointed  a  delegate  to  the  General 
Conference  for  the  ensuing  year. 

The  Presbytery  evidently  took  favourable  action  upon  the 
question  of  the  ordination  of  Bethuel  C.  Church,  for,  at  the 
close  of  the  association,  he  was  ordained.  The  ordination 
sermon  was  preached  by  Lewis  A.  Davis. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Session  met  according  to  appoint- 
ment, with  the  church  at  Port  Jefferson,  Ohio,  on  October  13, 
1842.  The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Joshua  Hill. 
Simeon  Babcock  was  appointed  moderator,  and  William  F. 
Randolph  and  Richard  C.  Bond,  secretaries. 

Reports  were  presented  from  the  Lost  Creek  and  New 
Salem  churches,  in  Virginia ;  and  the  North  Hampton  Church, 
of  Ohio.  The  Woodbridgetown  Church,  of  Pennsylvania ; 
the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  the  North  Fork  of 


THE   SOUTH-WESTERN   ASSOCIATION  271 

Hughes  River  churches,  of  Virginia ;  and  the  Pike  Church, 
of  Ohio,  failed  to  report.  The  fohowing  churches  of  Ohio 
were  admitted  as  members  of  the  association : —  Port  Jefferson, 
Jackson  Centre,  Sciota,  and  Stokes.  Lewis  A.  Davis  was 
appointed  delegate  to  the  Western  Association,  with  Joshua 
Hill  as  his  alternate. 

Through  a  committee,  a  claim  was  presented  for  mis- 
sionary work  within  the  bounds  of  the  association.  Joshua 
Hill  was  appointed  an  agent  to  preach  upon  the  Sabbath  ques- 
tion whenever  a  suitable  opportunity  should  offer. 

While  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
shows  that  there  was  a  commendable  degree  of  union  existing 
among  the  churches,  it  appears  that  the  Pike  Township  Church 
had  voted  itself  out  of  the  association,  and  a  committee  consist- 
ing of  Rev.  Peter  Davis  and  L.  D.  Ayres  was  appointed  to 
"visit,  inquire  the  cause,  and  admonish  the  brethren  of  said 
church,  and  report  to  the  next  association." 

The  Lost  Creek  Church  presented  a  request  for  the  ordi- 
nation of  Richard  C.  Bond.  This  request  was  referred  to  the 
Presbytery,  which  acted  favourably  upon  it,  and  the  ordination 
took  place  on  the  First  Day  of  the  week,  the  last  day  of  the 
session.  The  ordination  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Lewis 
A.  Davis,  the  consecrating  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  Peter 
Davis,  and  the  charge  to  the  candidate  was  given  by  Rev. 
Lewis  A.  Davis.  The  right  hand  of  fellowship  was  offered 
by  Rev.  Joshua  Hill.  The  benediction  was  pronounced  by 
Richard  C.  Bond. 

The  Fifth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  convened 
at  Lost  Creek,  Virginia,  October  18,  1843.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Richard  C.  Bond,  after  which  the 
association  organised  with  Joshua  Hill  as  moderator,  and 
Jonathan  Bond  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Bond  as  secretaries. 
The  following  churches  reported: —  Lost  Creek,  New  Salem, 
North  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River,  from  Virginia;  Woodbridgetown,  from  Pennsylvania; 
North  Hampton,  Port  Jefferson,  Sciota,  Jackson  Centre,  and 
Stokes,  from  Ohio.  The  church  of  Madison  Township,  Jay 
County,  Indiana,  was  admitted  to  membership  in  the  asso- 
ciation. 

The  committee  appointed  the  previous  year  to  inquire  into 


272      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  cause  of  the  withdrawal  of  the  Pike  Church  from  the 
association,  rendered  a  report,  which  was  adopted,  and  the 
church  dropped  from  the  association. 

A  petition  was  presented  by  WilHam  F.  Randolph,  which 
set  forth  that  the  New  Salem  Church  had  difficulties  existing 
in  it  and  that  it  refused  to  have  these  difficulties  adjusted. 
The  subject  of  this  petition  was  prominent  throughout  this 
session  of  the  association,  and  a  committee,  consisting  of 
Rev.  Thomas  B.  Brown  and  Benjamin  Franklin  Bond,  was 
finally  appointed  to  inquire  into  these  difficulties  and  report 
upon  them. 

Notwithstanding  the  dissensions  within  the  organisation 
itself,  and  within  some  of  the  churches  of  which  the  asso- 
ciation was  composed,  the  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state 
of  religion  was  a  very  hopeful  one,  and  Sabbath  reform  and 
Sabbath  observance  were  especially  emphasised. 

The  association  met  for  its  Sixth  Annual  Session  with 
the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  October 
9,  1844.  Rev.  Joshua  Hill  preached  the  introductory  sermon, 
Richard  C.  Bond  was  elected  moderator,  and  Eli  Forsythe 
and  James  Hill,  clerks. 

The  missionary  committee  reported  that  Richard  C.  Bond 
had  laboured  among  the  churches  since  February  last,  under 
an  appointment  from  the  Missionary  Association,  that  he  had 
spent  one  hundred  and  twenty-two  days,  travelled  fifteen  hun- 
dred and  seventeen  miles,  and  preached  eighty-nine  sermons, 

A  plan  for  missionary  operations  for  the  coming  year 
was  adopted,  recommending  that  the  association  be  divided 
into  two  districts,  with  the  Ohio  River  as  the  dividing  line, 
and  that  the  churches  in  each  district  be  requested  to  raise 
money  to  support  a  missionary.  An  executive  committee  in 
each  district  was  appointed  to  carry  out  the  plan. 

The  following  churches  reported  to  the  association : — 
North  Hampton,  Port  Jefferson,  Jackson  Centre,  and  Stokes, 
of  Ohio;  Lost  Creek,  and  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  of 
Virginia.  The  New  Salem,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
churches,  of  Virginia,  failed  to  report;  as  did  the  Sciota 
Church  of  Ohio;  the  Madison,  Indiana,  Church;  and  the 
Woodbridgetown  Church,  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  committee  which  had  been  appointed  the  preceding 
(17) 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION  273 

year  to  inquire  into  the  difficulties  existing  in  the  New  Salem 
Church,  failed  to  make  a  report,  and  Rev.  Joel  Greene  and 
Lewis  Bond  were  appointed  a  new  committee,  and  requested 
to  report  at  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  association. 

Richard  C.  Bond  was  appointed  a  delegate  to  the  General 
Conference  and  Lewis  A.  Davis  was  appointed  a  delegate  to 
the  Western  Association.  It  was  also  voted  that  the  associa- 
tion should  be  divided,  making  the  Ohio  River  the  line  of 
division,  and  that  the  division  should  take  effect  after  the  next 
annual  session. 

The  Seventh  Annual  Session  of  the  South-Western  Asso- 
ciation, according  to  previous  appointment,  convened  with  the 
New  Salem  Church,  October  8,  1845.  The  introductory  ser- 
mon was  preached  by  Rev.  Richard  C.  Bond,  after  which  the 
association  organised  by  the  appointment  of  Rev.  John  Davis 
as  moderator  and  Isaac  F.  Randolph,  secretary.  The  follow- 
ing churches  reported: —  Lost  Creek,  New  Salem,  and  North 
Fork  of  Hughes  River,  of  Virginia ;  and  the  Jackson  Centre 
and  Port  Jefferson  churches,  of  Ohio.  The  South  Fork  of 
Hughes  River  Church,  of  Virginia,  made  no  returns,  nor  did 
the  Woodbridgetown  Church,  of  Pennsylvania.  The  North 
Hampton,  Sciota,  and  Stokes  churches  of  Ohio,  and  the  Mad- 
ison Church  of  Indiana,  also  failed  to  report. 

Richard  C.  Bond  was  appointed  agent  for  preaching  on 
the  Sabbath  question  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Concerning  the  difficulties  previously  reported  as  existing 
within  the  New  Salem  Church,  drastic  action  was  taken  by  the 
association  and  the  incident  apparently  closed. 

The  Eighth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  Jackson  Centre  Church,  and  began  on  the  8th  of 
October,  1846.  The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by 
Rev.  Joshua  Hill.  Rev.  Simeon  Babcock  was  appointed  mod- 
erator, and  Eli  Forsythe  and  James  Hill,  secretaries.  The 
following  churches  reported  to  the  association  at  this  ses- 
sion:—  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem,  of  Virginia;  Jackson 
Centre,  Stokes,  Port  Jefferson,  North  Hampton,  and  Sciota, 
of  Ohio.  The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
shows  that  religious  conditions  were  at  a  low  ebb  throughout 
the  association.  The  action  taken  two  years  before,  dividing 
the  association,  was  rescinded,  as  repugnant  to  the  feelings  of 


274      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  body.  Missionary  work  received  prominent  attention  at 
the  hands  of  the  association,  which  resolved  itself  into  a 
missionary  body,  and  each  member  was  requested  to  pay  quar- 
terly at  the  rate  of  one  cent,  or  more,  per  week  to  support  the 
missionary  work  of  the  association.  Each  church  was  to  be 
provided  with  a  treasurer  for  this  fund,  and  the  treasurers 
w^ere  appointed  by  the  association.  Rev.  Joshua  Hill  was 
appointed  an  agent  to  lay  this  subject-  before  the  churches 
and,  if  possible,  secure  favourable  action  by  them.  The  treas- 
urer of  each  church  was  expected  to  visit  and  solicit  subscrip- 
tions from  the  members  of  his  respective  church. 

The  Ninth  Annual  Session  was  held  with  the  church  at 
Lost  Creek,  Harrison  County,  Virginia,  beginning  the  4th 
day  of  October,  1847.  In  the  absence  of  Rev.  Joshua  Hill, 
who  had  been  appointed  to  preach  the  introductory  sermon, 
Samuel  D.  Davis  preached  from  Psalm  cxiii,  "Behold  how 
good  and  how  pleasant  it  is  for  brethren  to  dwell  together 
in  unity,"  etc. 

Eli  Bond  was  appointed  moderator,  and  William  F.  Ran- 
dolph and  Joshua  G.  Babcock,  secretaries.  The  following 
churches  reported : —  Lost  Creek,  and  New  Salem  of  Virginia ; 
Jackson  Centre,  Stokes,  North  Hampton,  and  Sciota  of  Ohio. 
The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  North  Fork  of  Hughes 
River  churches,  of  Virginia;  the  Port  Jefferson  Church,  of 
Ohio ;  the  Woodbridgetown  Church,  of  Pennsylvania ;  and  the 
Madison  Church,  of  Indiana  made  no  report. 

The  association  adopted  the  following  resolution: — 

"RESOLVED,  That  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation, in  its  efforts  to  propagate  the  Gospel  in  foreign  lands,  is  entitled 
to  the  warmest  sympathies  and  vigorous  support  of  our  entire  denom- 
ination ;  that  we  anxiously  commend  the  mission  in  China  to  the 
prayers  and  liberalities  of  the  churches;  and  that  we  especially  request 
the  ministers  and  the  churches  of  this  association  to  adopt  the  plan 
recommended  by  Walter  B.  Gillette  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder  of  Feb- 
ruary 25,  1847." 

The  association  met  for  its  Tenth  Annual  Session  with  the 
church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  on  the  12th 
day  of  October,  1848,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Joshua  Hill.  Joshua  Hill  was 
elected  moderator,  and  Eli  Forsythe  and  Benjamin  Clement, 
secretaries.       The     following     churches     submitted     annual 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION  275 

reports : —  Lost  Creek,  and  New  Salem,  of  Virginia ;  and 
North  Hampton,  Port  Jefferson,  Sciota,  Jackson  Centre,  and 
Stokes,  of  Ohio.  The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  North 
Fork  of  Hughes  River  churches  of  Virginia ;  the  Woodbridge- 
town  Church  of  Pennsylvania;  and  the  Madison  Church  of 
Indiana  all  failed  to  report.  The  report  of  the  committee  on 
the  state  of  religion  set  forth  that  the  churches  of  Wood- 
bridgetown,  Pennsylvania;  and  Madison,  Indiana,  were 
believed  to  have  become  extinct  by  deaths  and  removal  of 
families  to  more  western  parts.  The  tone  of  the  committee's 
report  is,  nevertheless,  upon  the  whole  a  confident  and  encour- 
aging one. 

The  action  of  the  previous  year  recommending  the  adop- 
tion of  a  plan  for  regular  contributions  for  missionary  work, 
seems  to  have  failed  for  lack  of  co-operation  of  the  churches. 
Vigorous  resolutions  were  adopted,  however,  commending 
the  work  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Association 
and  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  and  endorsing  the 
Sabbath  Recorder. 

A  resolution  was  adopted,  strongly  condemning  secret 
societies,  on  the  grounds  that  "their  real  tendency  is  anti- 
Christian  and  that  they  are  dangerous  to  the  true  interests  of 
society." 

The  minutes  of  the  association  as  published  in  the 
Sabbath  Recorder,  of  November  2,  1848,  are  accompanied  by 
a  letter  from  Rev.  Samuel  Davisson,  who  says  that  while  the 
attendance  from  the  churches  of  Ohio  was  good,  there  was  but 
one  delegate  from  the  churches  in  Virginia,  and  there  were  but 
two  ordained  ministers  in  attendance  belonging  to  the  asso- 
ciation. The  only  other  ordained  minister  in  the  association, 
Rev.  Lewis  A.Davis,  having  become  physically  incapacitated  for 
professional  duties,  had  removed  to  another  part  of  the  state. 
Rev.  Samuel  Davisson  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the  apparent 
zeal  and  good  spirit,  both  of  the  clergy  and  laymen,  and  com- 
mends the  efforts  made  by  the  association  to  have  missionary 
work  done,  and  explains  that  the  association  has  been  badly 
hampered  because  of  the  restricted  financial  resources  of  its 
church  membership.  Of  the  ministers,  he  says  nothing  but 
praise.     Lewis  A.  Davis  had  exhausted  himself  physically,  by 


276      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

riding,  practising  as  a  physician,  and  labouring  beyond  his 
strength  as  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel  in  a  comparatively  new 
country,  and  had  left  his  field  of  labour  because  he  did  not 
know  how  to  deny  urgent  applications,  even  when  he  knew 
they  were  taxing  him  beyond  his  strength.  Rev.  Samuel 
Davisson  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  while  there  were 
several  men  licenced  to  preach,  there  was  but  one  ordained 
minister.  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  among  the  churches  in  Virginia. 
He  also  believed  that  the  association  should  be  divided,  as  had 
been  previously  proposed,  for  the  reason,  that  as  it  now  existed, 
it  was  really  two  associations  holding  biennial  meetings, 
instead  of  one  holding  annual  meeting. 

The  Eleventh  Annual  Session  of  the  association  convened 
with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  Virginia,  on  the  nth  day  of 
October,  1849,  ^^  eleven  o'clock  a,  m.  The  introductory  dis- 
course was  preached  by  Samuel  D.  Davis.  Rev.  Peter 
Davis  was  appointed  moderator,  William  F.  Randolph,  clerk, 
and  Jacob  Davis,  assistant  clerk.  The  following  churches 
reported  to  the  association: —  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem 
of  Virginia;  and  North  Hampton, Jackson  Centre, and  Stokes  of 
Ohio.  The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  and  North  Fork  of 
Hughes  River  churches  of  Virginia,  and  the  Port  Jefferson 
and  Sciota  churches  of  Ohio  made  no  report. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis,  on  the  second  day  of  the  session, 
resigned  his  office  as  moderator,  on  account  of  the  infirmities 
of  age,  and  James  Simpson  was  appointed  in  his  place.  The 
question  of  dividing  the  association,  with  the  Ohio  River  as 
the  dividing  line,  was  again  raised,  but  was  left  over  until  the 
next  annual  session,  and  all  the  churches  of  the  association  were 
requested  to  present  their  views  on  the  subject  at  that  time. 

The  report  of  the  executive  committee  on  missions  showed 
that  Benjamin  Clement  had  laboured  a  few  weeks  among  the 
churches  of  Ohio  and  that  the  committee  had  corresponded 
with  Rev.  Azor  Estee  of  Petersburgh,  New  York,  and  had 
arranged  with  him  to  come  and  engage  in  missionary  work 
within  the  bounds  of  the  association.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee was  adopted  and  the  corresponding  secretary  was 
instructed  to  communicate  with  Rev.  Azor  Estee  and  request 
him  to  come  upon  the  field  at  once. 


THE   SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION 


277 


The  Lost  Creek  Church  requested  the  ordination  of  Sam- 
uel D.  Davis  to  the  work  of  the  gospel  ministry,  but  as  there 
was  but  one  ordained  minister  in  attendance,  Rev.  Peter  Davis, 
and  he  preferred  to  have  assistance  in  the  work,  the  ordination 
was  deferred  until  another  time. 

The  Twelfth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Shelby  County,  Ohio,  begin- 
ning October  10,  1850,  at  eleven  o'clock  a.  m. 

Rev.  Azor  Estee,  who  had  been  appointed  to  preach  the 
introductory  sermon,  was  not  present  at  the  meeting,  and  his 
place  was  filled  by  Rev,  Rowse  Babcock.  The  association 
organised  with  Rev:  Rowse  Babcock  as  moderator,  and  Eli 
Forsythe  and  Joshua  G.  Babcock,  clerks. 

It  was  voted  that  the  association  should  be  divided,  with 
the  Ohio  River  as  the  dividing  line,  and  that  the  part  lying 
north  of  the  Ohio  should  be  called  the  Ohio  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Association.  It  was  further  decided  that  the  aims  and 
work  of  the  Ohio  Association  should  be  similar  to  those  of  its 
predecessor,  the  South-Western  Association. 

Strong  temperance  ground  was  taken  by  the  association 
and  a  vigorous  protest  made  against  war  and  secret  societies. 
The  work  of  the  Sabbath  Tract  Society  was  endorsed.  The 
following  churches  reported  at  this  association : —  Lost  Creek, 
New  Salem,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  of  Virginia; 
North  Hampton,  Port  Jefiferson,  Jackson  Centre,  and  Stokes,  of 
Ohio ;  and  Woodbridgetown  of  Pennsylvania,  the  latter  report- 
ing a  membership  of  five.  The  North  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
Church,  of  Virginia ;  and  the  Sciota  Church,  of  Ohio,  failed 
to  report. 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  who  two  years  before  was  reported 
as  incapacitated  for  ministerial  work,  was  in  attendance  upon 
the  association,  in  which  he  took  an  active  part,  and  the  asso- 
ciation recommended  that  the  executive  committee  engage  him 
as  a  missionary. 

THE    VIRGINIA    ASSOCIATION. 

The  churches  of  western  Virginia  met  on  April  14,  185 1, 
with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  a  house  belonging  to 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  on  the  Meat  House  Fork  of  Middle 


278      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Island  Creek/  at  the  mouth  of  Wolf  Pen  Run,  and  organised 
themselves  into  the  Virginia  Association. 

The  new  association  met  for  its  First  Annual  Session 
with  the  church  at  New  Salem  on  the  fourth  day  of  September, 
185 1,  at  10  o'clock  A.  M.  Rev.  Azor  Estee  preached  the 
introductory  sermon.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  appointed  mod- 
erator, Jacob  Davis  and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  secretaries, 
and  George  J.  Davis,  treasurer.  The  following  churches 
reported  to  the  association : —  Lost  Creek,  New  Salem,  Middle 
Island,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River.  The  church  at 
Woodbridgetown,  Pennsylvania,  was  received  as  a  member  of 
the  new  body.  The  following  topics  were  presented  for  dis- 
cussion : — 

"Is  it  Christian  duty  to  hold  any  office  whatever  under  the  political 
government?" 

"What  is  our  duty  as  Christians  with  respect  to  the  subject  of 
war?" 

"What  is  our  duty  with  respect  to  using  and  trafficing  in  intoxi- 
cating drinks?" 

"What  is  our  duty  as  Christians  with  respect  to  American 
Slavery?" 

"What  is  our  view  of  the  doctrine  of  Christian  Equality?" 

"Is  it  consistent  with  our  Christian  profession  to  unite  with  secret 
societies?" 

The  following  resolution  was  adopted : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  approve  the  enterprise  now  in  progress 
of  establishing  a  High  School  at  West  Union  and  recommend  its 
support  and  patronage  to  all  the  members  of  our  denomination." 

This  is  the  first  appearance  of  the  subject  of  education 
in  the  minutes  of  these  associations. 

The  Second  Annual  Session  of  the  Virginia  Association 
was  held  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek  on  the  2d  day  of 
December,  1852,  at  11  o'clock  a.  m.  Ezekiel  Bee  preached 
the  introductory  sermon.  Ezekiel  Bee  was  appointed  mod- 
erator, Jepthah  F.  Randolph  and  Moses  H.  Davis,  secretaries, 
and   George  J.   Davis,  treasurer.     The    following    churches 


I.  This  was  not  the  residence  of  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  but  was  an  unoccupied 
dwelling  house  on  his  farm.  The  house  subsequently  was  occupied  by  the  follow- 
ing:—  Mrs.  Jane  Childers,  Joshua  Wright,  Asa  F.  Randolph,  Tillman  H.  Burcher, 
Elhanan  W.  Davis,  and  William  H.  H.  Davis.  The  house  was  built  by  Josiah  Bee. 
It  was  used  at  one  time  as  the  temporary  home  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  while 
he  conducted  a  series  of  revival  meetings  in  a  grove  near  by. 


THE  SOUTH-WESTERN  ASSOCIATION  279 

reported : —  Lost  Creek,  New  Salem,  Middle  Island,  South 
Fork  of  Hughes  River,  and  Woodbridgetown. 

The  action  taken  at  the  previous  session  as  regards  the 
proposed  academy  at  West  Union,  was  repeated  at  this  session 
in  even  stronger  terms. 

The  Third  Annual  Session  of  the  Virginia  Association 
convened  at  New  Milton,  Doddridge  County,  Virginia,  on  the 
second  day  of  September,  1853,  at  12  o'clock  m.^  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis.  Sam- 
uel D.  Davis  was  appointed  moderator ;  Jepthah  F.  Randolph, 
secretary ;  Moses  H.  Davis,  assistant  secretary ;  Ezekiel  Bee, 
treasurer;  and  Asa  Bee,  corresponding  secretary. 

The  following  churches  reported : —  Lost  Creek,  New 
Salem,  Middle  Island,  and  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River.  The 
report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  was  an  encour- 
aging one. 

The  association  met  for  its  Fourth  Annual  Session  with 
the  church  on  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  in  Ritchie 
County,  Virginia,  September  21,  1854,  at  11  o'clock  a.  m. 
The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  H.  W.  Bab- 
cock  of  the  Western  Association.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was 
appointed  moderator,  and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  and  Asa  Bee, 
Jr.,  clerks.  Reports  were  presented  from  the  following 
churches : —  Lost  Creek,  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  Middle 
Island,  and  New  Salem.  The  thirty-five  cents  which  was 
reported  in  the  treasury  the  preceding  year,  was  reported 
still  in  the  treasury.    The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state 


I.    The  following  is   a  copy  of  the  invitation  sent  to  the  'Western   Association 
requesting  that  delegates  be  sent  to  this  session  of  the  Virginia  Association: — 

"  The  churches  of  The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Virginia  Association  to  the  churches 
of  the  Western  Association  of  the  same  faith  andorder; 
"  Dear  Brethren: — 

"  We  request  a  delegation  from  your  association  to  meet  with  us  at  our  next 
annual  anniversary,  which  is  to  be  held  on  the  Meat  House  Fork  Creek,  Doddridge 
County,  Virginia,  on  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  first  Sabbath  in  Septem- 
ber, 1853. 

"  We  very  much  need  your  help  and  prayers.    Come  over  and  help  us.    The  fields 
are  already  white  for  harvesting  and  the  labourers  are  few. 
"  Yours  in  Christian  love. 

"  Written  by  order  of  the  Association. 

"Jepthah  F.  Randolph, 

"  Cor.  Sec.'" 
"Feb.  9,  1S53." 

"  Directed  to  Rev.  T.  E.  Babcock, 
"  Independence, 

"Allegany  County,  N.  Y." 


28o      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

of  religion  indicated  that  religion  was  at  a  low  ebb  and 
presaged  the  announcement  contained  in  the  "Sabbath 
Recorder"  January  24,  1856,  as  follows : — 

"THE  VIRGINIA  ASSOCIATION. 

In  compliance  with  the  resolution  of  the  Virginia  Association, 
Brother  William  F.  Randolph  forwards  to  us  the  following: — 

"  'On  the  23d  of  September,  1855,  the  last  day  of  the  annual  session 
of  the  late  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Virginia  Association  held  at  Lost 
Creek,  the  representatives  of  the  churches  comprised  in  that  body, 
after  much  deliberation  upon  the  apparent  deleterious  effects  of 
inharmonious  views  and  movements  evinced  at  past  meetings  of  this 
body  and  seeing  little  or  no  prospect  under  existing  circumstances 
of  the  cause  being  any  better  advanced  in  the  future  by  continuing 
the  present  order  of  things,  it  was,  therefore, 

"  'RESOLVED,  That  we  mutually  dissolve  the  compact  which  the 
several  churches  of  this  body  entered  into  when  forming  the  asso- 
ciation.' " 

The  minutes  of  this  association  for  the  last  two  years  of 
its  life  are  not  to  be  found.  They  were  probably  destroyed 
when  the  organisation  was  dissolved,  owing  to  their  very 
unpleasant  character. 

The  meetings  of  the  last  session  of  the  association  became 
so  stormy,  that  it  was  generally  agreed  that  they  should  not 
be  held  in  a  house  of  worship.  The  body  accordingly  met 
for  its  last  tneeting  in  the  barn  of  William  Kennedy,  one  of  the 
deacons  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 


IK  ^vvvTr¥TnnnfK  innnnnnonnr  a 

a  K  WX^mnOf  a  K  a  MK^KKKM^  a  a 
[K  a  ainnnrwif  a  a  a  a  awmnnra  a  a 

fa  aaainfTJIfaaa  a  a  a  a  ¥"¥Tf  IT  a  a  a  a 
[a  a  a  a  a  If  IT  aaaaaaaaaWaaaaa 
[aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 
laaaaajix««Kaaaaaaj^A««  ««« 
[a  a  a  a  jiitAAa  a  a  a  a  a  a^iiiijia  a  a  a 
ga  aiULJlllilJl«  «  K  »  aAXAilJUlK  a  « 
(MlJULRAAAJUl-  K  a  jiJUiAAXAAa  ? 
dJOULJlJOUUUUl  H  JUUUULIULJLAA  K 


xvTr¥Tr*Tnr¥Tfainnnnnnnnf¥a 

ninonnrvviTa  a  amnfirwinf  ag 
a  aWinoOfa  a  a  a  a  If  ¥1f  ITlf  V  a  a  a 
a  a  a  If  If  ¥lf  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  ¥1f  if  If  a  a  a  a 
a  a  a  a  If  If  aaaaaaaaa  If  If  a  a  a  a  H 
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  a  a^  a 
a  a  a  a  jix  aaaaaaaaa  ^  ji  a  a  a  a  a 
K  a  a  JLR HJl  a  a  a  a  a  a  a  jiAJm.  a  a  a  a^ 
a  ajutiUUUl-  H  a  a  a  jtJlXXXAK  a  aj 
a iUlJUmJUULa  a  a xJUUmJOlX a  Jj 
JUtJUUUULRXjLajUUUOULJlJUlJLil 


XXI. 


THE  SOUTH-EASTERN  ASSOCIATION. 


pi'«*if^r5^r*^rirSr!f*"««T  the  annual  session  of  the  Eastern 
ga  a  avinrinnnnfTfif  a  a  a  a 

Association    held    in   Shiloh,   New 


[a  aa  a  aTflflTJOfTflflf  a  a  a  a  a 

■  naH^£^K;,H,3flPRrjllfa.a.aMa-«; 

'"■iKM  IE  a.-** 

g'#<« 

•«<«:«;■  " 
«(«;«; 


Hjg  'a  a-«( 

jMSljillilliyyiJfeJlfa  a  a  a  a  «; 
K:gi:'H'i:JtJ|jyijJuiLJuia  a  a  a  a.' 
a  a  a  a  AJLAJUt  AA  Ait  A  a  a  a  a, 
1  a  a  iLAAAAAAAAAAA  a  a  :a 


Jersey,  in  May,  1856,  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Davis  appeared  as  a  delegate 
from  the  New  Salem  and  Lost 
Creek  churches  of  Virginia,  bear- 
ing a  petition  from  those  churches 
for  admission  to  the  Eastern  Asso- 
ciation. 

This  request  was  granted  after 
a  spirited  discussion  of  the  relation  of  these  churches  to 
slavery,  only  one  dissenting  vote  being  cast,  that  of  Alfred  B. 
Burdick.  At  its  next  annual  session,  the  Eastern  Association 
addressed  a  communication  to  the  Lost  Creek  Church  upon  the 
subject  of  slavery  ;  whereupon  that  church  severed  its  relations 
with  the  association.  The  Lost  Creek  Church  remained  with- 
out connection  with  any  association  until  the  organisation  of 
the  South-Eastern  Association  in  1872. 

The  New  Salem  Church,  while  not  formally  severing  its 
connection  with  the  Eastern  Association,  maintained  an  attitude 
of  silence  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  from 
that  association,  making  no  report  after  1858  until  1867, 
when  it  resumed  its  annual  reports.  The  revived  relation  con- 
tinued until  after  the  organisation  of  the  South-Eastern  Asso- 
ciation, when  it  amicably  severed  its  relations  with  the  Eastern 
Association  and  became  a  potent  factor  in  the  new  organ- 
isation. 

None  of  the  other  Virginia  (now  West  Virginia) 
churches  formed  an  associational  connection  from  the  time  of 
the  dissolution  of  the  old  Virginia  Association  until  the  organ- 


282      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

isation  of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  which  all  the 
churches  in  West  Virginia  joined,  except  the  old  South  Fork 
of  Hughes  River  Church,  then  known  as  the  Pine  Grove 
Church. 

On  May  19,  1871,  at  a  regular  business  meeting  of  the 
New  Salem  Church,  it  took  the  following  action ;  viz., 

"RESOLVED,  That  this  church  invite  our  sister  churches  in 
West  Virginia  to  appoint  delegates  to  meet  with  delegates  of  this 
church  at  our  house  of  worship  in  New  Salem  on  the  First  Day  [of  the 
week]  after  the  third  Sabbath  in  August,  1871,  at  8  o'clock  a.  m.  to 
consider  the  propriety  of  organising  an  association  of  said  churches, 
and,  if  thought  advisable,  to  draft  a  constitution  for  such  an  organisa- 
tion to  be  submitted  to  the  churches  for  their  approval  or  rejection." 

This  council  met,  as  contemplated,  at  New  Salem,  August 
20,  1 87 1,  and  adopted  the  following  constitution  which  was 
afterward  approved  by  the  churches: — 
"CONSTITUTION. 

"Article  i.  This  association  shall  be  called  the  south-western 
SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTIST  ASSOCIATION,  and  shall  be  composed  of  such 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  of  West  Virginia  as  may  adopt  this 
constitution,  and  such  other  churches  in  harmony  with  the  objects 
of  this  association  as  may  hereafter  be  received  by  vote  of  the  asso- 
ciation. 

"Article  2.  The  objects  of  this  association  shall  be  to  promote  the 
piety,  order,  and  increase  of  the  churches  belonging  to  it,  the  Sabbath 
cause,  and  the  cause  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  generally  in  the  world. 

"Article  3.  There  shall  be  an  annual  meeting  of  delegates 
appointed  by  the  several  churches  united  in  this  association,  to  transact 
its  business  affairs,  and  to  carry  into  operation  all  its  objects. 

"Article  4.  In  the  business  meetings  of  this  association,  the 
churches  composing  it  shall  be  represented  as  follows;  vis.,  One  del- 
egate for  each  church  as  a  church,  and  one  additional  delegate  for 
every  ten  members  of  the  church. 

"Article  5.  The  officers  of  this  association  shall  be  a  moderator, 
who  shall  preside  at  all  its  business  meetings;  a  recording  secretary, 
who  shall  keep  a  faithful  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  association, 
preserve  all  valuable  papers  of  the  association,  and  deliver  all  such 
records  and  papers  to  his  successor  in  office ;  an  assistant  recording 
secretary;  a  corresponding  secretary,  who  shall  conduct  the  corre- 
spondence ;  and  a  treasurer,  who  shall  keep  all  the  funds  of  the  asso- 
ciation, pay  out  the  same  on  proper  orders,  keep  an  exact  account  of 
all  receipts  and  disbursements,  and  transmit  to  his  successor  in  office 
all  funds  in  his  possession.  The  corresponding  secretary  shall  make  an 
annual   report  of  all  the  correspondence   conducted  by  him ;   and  the 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  283 

treasurer  shall  make  a  careful  annual  report  of  all  funds  received  and 
paid  out,  and  of  the  present  state  of  the  treasury. 

"Article  6.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  church  composing  this 
body  to  correspond  with  it  by  letter  annually,  stating,  so  far  as  it  may 
think  proper,  its  condition;  and  especially  report  the  number  of  addi- 
tions, deaths,  dismissions,  and  rejections  during  the  year;  its  present 
whole  number  of  members,  and  the  names  of  the  officers  of  the 
church.  Also  to  state  the  condition  of  its  Sabbath  Schools,  the  number 
of  scholars  and  teachers,  and  the  name  of  the  superintendent  of  each. 

"Article  7.  The  association  may,  if  it  see  proper,  at  any  annual 
meeting,  appoint  an  executive  committee  of  three  or  more  members, 
one  of  whom  shall  be  the  moderator,  for  the  more  efficient  prosecution 
of  any  of  the  objects  of  the  association.  Such  committee,  if  appointed, 
shall  make  a  report  of  its  proceedings  at  the  next  annual  meeting. 

"Article  8.  This  constitution  may  be  revised  or  amended  at  any 
annual  meeting  of  this  association  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  members." 

The  council  appointed  September,  1872,  as  the  date  for 
effecting  a  complete  organisation,  but  the  following  preamble 
and  resolution  were  adopted  by  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
September  8,  1871 : — 

"Whereas,  We  think  that  the  interests  of  the  contemplated  asso- 
ciation of  our  churches  demand  a  completed  organisation  earlier  than 
September,  1872,  and  also  that  it  is  desirable  [that]  it  should  commun- 
icate with  the  other  S[eventh]  D[ay]  Baptist  associations  at  their  next 
meetings,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  this  church  respectfully  request  our  sister 
churches  to  appoint,  if  in  their  judgment  they  deem  best,  the  number 
of  delegates  provided  for  by  the  constitution,  to  meet  with  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  on  the  Fifth  Day  [of  the  week]  before  the  second 
Sabbath  in  December,  1871,  to  organise  under  the  constitution  referred 
to  the  churches  for  adoption,  and  that  they  be  requested  to  make 
known  their  action  in  the  matter  to  the  clerk  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church." 

The  invitation  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  accepted, 
but  the  date  of  the  meeting  was  afterward  changed  to  the 
Second  Day  of  the  week,  January  15,  1872,  on  the  day  follow- 
ing the  dedication  of  the  new  brick  house  of  worship  of  the 
Lost  Creek  Church. 

The  introductory  serinon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Abram  Her- 
bert Lewis,  who  had  come  to  Lost  Creek  to  attend  the  dedica- 
tion of  the  new  church.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  was  elected 
moderator  for  the  session ;  Moses  H.  Davis,  clerk ;  and  Frank- 
lin F.  Randolph,  assistant  clerk. 

The  constitution  previously  adopted  by  the  council  which 


284      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

had  met  at  New  Salem  in  August  preceding,  was  read,  and 
adopted,  except  that  the  name  of  the  new  organisation  was 
changed  from  the  South-Western  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Association,  to  the  South-Eastern  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Association. 

The  corresponding  secretary,  Moses  H.  Davis,  was 
instructed  to  inform  the  other  associations  that  the  new  organ- 
isation had  been  consummated,  and  request  that  they  send  dele- 
gates to  the  first  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Associa- 
tion, to  be  held  with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New  Milton, 
beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week  before  the  fifth  Sab- 
bath in  the  following  June. 

A  petition  was  received  from  a  group  of  members  of  the 
Lost  Creek  Church  living  in  "Sabbatarian  Valley,"  some  ten 
or  twelve  miles  away  from  Lost  Creek,  that  they  be  organised 
into  a  church.  The  association,  accordingly,  appointed  dele- 
gates to  form  a  council  to  consider  this  request.  The  council 
met  a  few  days  afterward,  and  organised  the  West  Fork  (now 
Roanoke)  Church. 

The  association  instructed  its  corresponding  secretary  to 
open  correspondence  with  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio, 
inviting  it  to  become  a  member  of  the  association ;  and  with  the 
German  Seventh  Day  Baptists  at  New  Enterprise,  Pennsyl- 
vania, with  a  similar  purpose,  if  it  should  be  found  that  they 
were  in  doctrinal  harmony  with  the  association.^ 

At  the  First  Annual  Session,  the  West  Fork  Church 
applied  for  admission,  and  the  application  was  granted. 

Although  an  invitation  had  been  extended  by  vote  of  the 
body  at  the  time  of  organisation,  to  the  church  at  Jackson 
Centre,  Ohio,  to  join  this  association;  it  was  not  until  two 
years  afterward  when,  at  the  annual  session  held  with  the 
church  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  on  May  28,  1874,  that  Hez- 
ekiah  ]\L  Stout  appeared  from  the  Jackson  Centre  Church 
and  presented  a  letter  to  the  association,  in  which  the  invita- 
tion previously  extended  to  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre  to 
join  the  association,  was  accepted. 


I.    The  minutes  of  this  first  meeting  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  may  be 
found  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder,  under  date  of  January  25,  1S72. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  285 

At  the  annual  session  in  1872,  the  corresponding  secretary 
reported  that  he  had  opened  correspondence  with  Jacob  Long 
of  Salemville,  Pennsylvania,  representing  the  German  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptists  of  Pennsylvania,  in  which  it  appeared  that, 
because  of  their  want  of  organised  church  regulations,  they 
were  unable  to  enter  officially  into  correspondence,  but 
expressed  a  willingness  to  do  so  as  individuals.  Accordingly 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph  was  requested  by  the  association  to  open 
an  unofficial  correspondence  with  these  Sabbath-keepers ;  and, 
at  the  next  annual  session,  he  presented  correspondence 
which  had  passed  between  himself  and  David  C.  Long  of  New 
Enterprise,  Pennsylvania.  It  does  not  appear,  however,  that 
the  German  Sabbath  observers  of  Pennsylvania  were  ready 
to  accept  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  articles  of  faith  and  church 
polity,  until  several  years  afterward. 

At  the  first  session,  the  introductory  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  presided 
as  moderator.  The  recording  secretaries  were  Preston  F. 
Randolph  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph.  The  corresponding 
secretary  was  Moses  H.  Davis.  Rev.  George  E.  Tomlinson 
appeared  as  delegate  from  the  Eastern  and  Central  associa- 
tions, and  Rev.  Darius  K.  Davis  was  present  as  delegate  from 
the  Western  and  North-Western  associations.  These  dele- 
gates were  warmly  welcomed,  and  formally  invited  to  partici- 
pate in  the  deliberations  of  the  body. 

Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  had  been  appointed  a  delegate  to 
represent  the  South-Eastern  Association  at  the  other  associa- 
tions whose  sessions  had  already  been  held,  but  he  was  pre- 
vented from  doing  so  on  account  of  illness  in  his  family. 

It  may  be  noted  in  this  connection  that  Rev.  George  E. 
Tomlinson  made  a  profound  and  lasting  impression  not  only 
upon  our  own  people,  but  upon  those  of  other  denominations 
as  well,  so  that  on  the  occasion  of  his  untimely  death,  four 
years  afterward,  expressions  of  grief  and  sympathy  were  called 
forth  from  a  number  of  the  prominent  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  Church,  a  neighbour  of  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  at  New  Milton. 

The  question  of  Sabbath  reform  received  marked  atten- 
tion at  this  meeting,  and  provision  was  made  for  the  Sabbath 
question  to  be  presented  in  the  non-Sabbath-keeping  neigh- 


286      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

bourhood  of  Hunters  Fork,  a  few  miles  distant,  at  some  con- 
venient time  during  the  sessions  of  the  association. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  rehgion  was 
a  conservative  but  hopeful  one.  The  subject  of  education 
received  special  attention.  The  total  membership  of  the 
churches  of  the  association  for  that  year,  including  the  West 
Fork  Church,  numbered  four  hundred  and  thirty-three  (433). 

The  Second  Annual  Session  of  the  association  convened 
with  the  church  at  New  Salem  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week, 
May  29,  1873,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  James  Bailey.  All  of  the  churches  were 
represented  both  by  letter  and  by  delegates.  Rev.  Charles  A. 
Burdick  again  presided  over  the  association  as  its  moderator. 
The  recording  secretaries  were  Preston  F.  Randolph  and 
Franklin  F.  Randolph.  The  corresponding  secretary  was 
Moses  H.  Davis.  Rev.  James  Bailey  appeared  as  delegate 
from  the  North-Western  Association  and  Rev.  Asa  B.  Prentice 
from  the  Central  Association.  The  report  of  the  executive 
committee  showed  that  a  Sabbath  School  institute  had  been 
conducted  at  Salem  on  the  Sixth  Day,  and  First  Day  of  the 
week,  respectively,  September  20,  and  22,  1872,  by  Rev.  Lewis 
A,  Platts,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  assisted 
by  Deacon  Isaac  D.  Titsworth  of  New  Market,  New  Jersey. 
The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  speaks 
strongly  in  favour  of  Sabbath  School  work.  The  report  of  the 
committee  on  education  again  exhibits  a  marked  degree  of 
interest  in  that  question.  The  question  of  Sabbath  reform  was 
given  prominence  on  account  of  the  recent  labours  within  the 
bounds  of  the  association,  of  Rev.  James  Bailey,  the  lecturing 
agent  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis  was  appointed  delegate  to  visit  the  other 
associations.  The  report  of  the  committee  on  obituaries 
records  the  death  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis  on  March  4,  1873. 
He  was  one  of  the  original  company  of  Sabbath-keepers,  who 
emigrated  to  New  Salem,  from  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey. 

The  association  convened,  for  its  Third  Annual  Session, 
with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  May  28,  1874,  at  10  o'clock 
A.  M.  The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Albert  Shock, 
a  licentiate  member  of  the   Middle    Island    Church.      Rev. 


MOSRS     HOFFMAN     DAVIS. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  287 

Samuel  D.  Davis  was  moderator,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick 
and  Dudley  H.  Davis  were  the  recording  secretaries,  and 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph  was  corresponding  secretary.  Letters 
were  presented  from  the  following  churches : —  New  Salem, 
Lost  Creek,  Middle  Island,  Ritchie,  and  West  Fork.  No  letter 
was  presented  from  Greenbrier,  although  it,  in  common  with 
other  churches,  was  represented  by  delegates.  Hezekiah  M. 
Stout  appeared  as  a  representative  of  the  church  at  Jackson 
Centre,  Ohio,  and  presented  a  letter  accepting  the  invitation 
previously  extended  to  that  church  by  the  association,  to 
become  a  member  of  this  body.  He  was  cordially  welcomed 
and  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre  formally  made  a  member 
of  the  association. 

The  executive  committee  reported  that  a  Sabbath  School 
institute  had  been  held  at  Lost  Creek  the  preceding  August, 
with  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  the  secretary  of  the  Sabbath  School 
Board  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Conference,  as 
its  conductor. 

The  report  of  the  special  committee  of  two,  appointed  at 
the  session  the  year  before,  to  consider  the  question  of  a 
denominational  school,  excited  considerable  interest,  inasmuch 
as  the  committee  presented  a  dual  report,  or  more  properly 
speaking,  two  reports,  one  from  each  of  the  two  members  of 
the  committee.  These  reports  were  in  turn  referred  to  another 
special  committee,  with  instructions  to  report  at  this  session. 
This  committee,  after  careful  consideration  of  the  subject, 
rendered  a  report,  which,  while  recognising  the  importance  of 
schools  for  higher  education,  considered  the  conditions  within 
the  association  such  as  not  to  warrant  any  specific  action  by 
that  body  looking  toward  establishing  such  a  school.  At 
this  session  of  the  association,  Rev.  George  B.  Utter  appeared 
as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Amos  W. 
Coon  from  the  Central,  Rev.  Nathan  V.  Hu^l  from  the 
Western,  and  Rev.  James  C.  Rogers  from  the  North- Western. 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  was  appointed  a  delegate  to  attend 
the  sessions  of  the  sister  associations  for  that  year. 

The  Fourth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio,  beginning  on  the 
Fifth  Day  of  the  week.  May  27,  1875,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The 
introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Simeon  H.  Bab- 


288      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

cock.  Moses  H.  Davis  presided  as  moderator,  Simeon  H. 
Babcock  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph  were  the  recording  secre- 
taries, and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  acted  as  corresponding  secre- 
tary. Letters  were  presented  from  the  following  churches : — 
New  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  Greenbrier,  Middle  Island,  Ritchie, 
and  Jackson  Centre.  The  West  Fork  Church  was  not  repre- 
sented either  by  letter  or  by  delegate. 

Rev.  Abram  H.  Lewis  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd  from  the  Central, 
Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Samuel  R. 
Wheeler  from  the  North-Western.  The  report  of  the  com- 
mittee on  the  state  of  religion  deplored  the  want  of  pastoral 
and  missionary  labour,  but  stated  that  harmony  prevailed 
throughout  the  churches.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  sent 
as  a  delegate  to  the  other  associations. 

The  Fifth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  Greenbrier,  West  Virginia,  beginning  on  the 
Fifth  Day  of  the  week  ]\Iay  25,  1876,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Jacob 
Davis.  In  the  absence  of  the  ofificers  who  had  been  elected 
the  year  before  for  this  session.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  was 
elected  moderator,  Moses  H.  Davis  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph, 
recording  secretaries,  and  Preston  F.  Randolph,  corresponding 
secretary. 

Letters  were  presented  from  all  the  churches,  and  all 
except  the  Jackson  Centre  Church,  were  represented  by  del- 
egates. 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Stephen  Burdick  from  the  Central, 
and  Rev.  Thomas  R.  Williams  from  the  Western. 

The  reports  of  the  various  committees,  while  recognising 
certain  failures  and  weaknesses,  nevertheless,  all,  either  tacitly 
or  avowedly,  disclaimed  any  cause  for  discouragement. 

Rev.  James  B.  Davis  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  Sixth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held  with 
the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New  Milton,  West  Virginia, 
beginning  May  24,  1877,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel 
D.  Davis.  Rev.  James  B.  Davis  was  moderator,  Franklin  F. 
(18) 


Ri:V.     (;iI)F.()X      HKNRV     FITZ     RANDOLPH.        LATE     MLSSIOXARV     TO 

SHANGHAI.    CHINA. 

(A  native  of  New  Salem). 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  289 

Randolph  and  Moses  H.  Davis,  recording  secretaries,  and  Asa 
F.  Randolph,  corresponding  secretary. 

Reports  were  presented  from  the  Lost  Creek,  West  Fork, 
Greenbrier,  Middle  Island,  New  Salem,  and  Ritchie  churches. 
No  report  was  presented  from  the  Jackson  Centre  Church. 

Rev.  James  R.  Irish  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  J.  Bennett  Clarke  from  the  Central, 
Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Oscar 
U.  Whitford  from  the  North-Western. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  approved  the 
action  of  the  Missionary  Society,  in  seeking  to  re-inforce  the 
China  Mission  ;  spoke  appreciatively  of  the  missionary  work  of 
Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  within  the  bounds  of  the  association ; 
and  pledged  the  support  of  the  association  to  the  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society,  in  the  various  lines  of  its  work. 

Representatives  who  were  present  from  the  Pine  Grove 
Church  (the  old  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  in 
Ritchie  County,  West  Virginia, — not  a  member  of  the  associa- 
tion) were  invited  to  an  honorary  seat  in  the  body. 

The  committee  on  obituary  notices  reported  the  death  of 
Deacon  William  Kennedy  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  who,  as 
a  child,  came  to  Lost  Creek  from  within  the  bounds  of  the 
Woodbridgetown  Church,  in  Fayette  County,   Pennsylvania. 

Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  thd 
other  associations. 

The  Seventh  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day  of 
the  week  May  23,  1878,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Lewis  F, 
Randolph,  who  presided  as  moderator.  The  recording  secre- 
taries were  Preston  F.  Randolph  and  Luther  A.  Bond.  Jacob 
Davis  was  corresponding  secretary. 

Reports  were  presented  from  all  the  churches.  Rev. 
David  H.  Davis  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern 
Association,  Rev.  Darius  K.  Davis  from  the  Central,  Rev. 
Uri  M.  Babcock  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis 
from  the  North-Western. 

The  executive  committee  reported  that  a  Sabbath  School 
institute  had  been  held  with  the  Greenbrier  Church  under  the 


290      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

leadership  of  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  Milton  S.  Davis,  and 
Moses  H.  Davis. 

The  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  reported  an  active, 
appreciative  interest  in  the  Sabbath  Schools  of  the  association, 
but  deplored  the  fact  that  not  all  of  them  continued  their 
sessions  throughout  the  year. 

The  committee  on  education  re-iterated  the  oft-repeated 
recognition  of  the  need  of  higher  education  and  expressed  the 
hope  that  opportunities  for  such  education  might  materialise 
at  New  Salem. 

On  account  of  financial  embarrassment,  no  delegate  was 
sent  to  the  other  associations  that  year. 

The  Eighth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  New  Salem,  West  Virginia,  beginning 
May  29,  1879,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  who  presided  over 
the  association  as  its  moderator.  The  recording  secretaries 
were  Charles  N.  Maxson  and  Festus  P.  Ford.  Franklin  F. 
Randolph  acted  as  corresponding  secretary.  The  following 
churches  were  represented  by  letter  and  delegates : —  Lost 
Creek,  New  Salem,  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier,  Ritchie,  and 
West  Fork.  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main  appeared  as  a  delegate 
from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke  from  the 
Central,  Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
Elston  M.  Dunn  from  the  North-Western.  The  executive 
committee  reported  that  they  had  carried  out  the  recommenda- 
tion of  the  association  of  the  preceeding  year  in  regard  to 
Sabbath  School  work,  and  that  institutes  had  been  held  at 
Lost  Creek,  Quiet  Dell,  and  Middle  Island.  The  basis  of  the 
work  of  these  institutes  was  the  Chautauqua  Normal  Course, 
Number  One. 

The  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  reported  a  growing 
interest  in  almost  every  Sabbath  School  of  the  association  and 
noted  that  the  Pine  Grove  and  Ritchie  Sabbath  Schools  had 
united  during  the  year.  The  committee  commended  highly 
the  work  of  the  institutes  and  believed  that  much  good  had  been 
accomplished  by  them.  The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
reported  an  aggregate  of  thirty-four  additions  to  the  member- 
ship of  the  various  churches. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  education  emphasised  the 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


291 


need  of  secondary  school  privileges  in  the  association, 
but  pointed  to  the  disagreement  and  opposition  to  such  a  move- 
ment developed  in  the  session  six  years  before,  and 
expressed  the  opinion  that  there  was  no  hope  for  such  a  school 
under  existing  circumstances. 

In  adopting  the  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions, 
the  association  emphasised  the  importance  of  the  Sabbath 
School,  deprecated  the  use  of  so  much  space  in  the  Sabbath 
Recorder  for  the  single  question  of  the  Sabbath,  and  advised 
that  more  room  be  given  to  denominational  and  general  relig- 
ious new  and  to  the  building  up  of  the  denomination  and  all 
that  relates  to  Christian  life  and  doctrine,  besides  urging  that 
more  of  its  best  writers  should  contribute  to  the  columns  of 
the  Sabbath  Recorder  with  greater  frequency.  The  associa- 
tion pledged  itself  anew  to  temperance  reform  work ;  and 
because  of  its  influence  upon  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  our 
people  as  a  denomination,  the  continuance  of  the  annual  asso- 
ciations was  recommended ;  and  all  Sabbath-keeping  churches 
in  full  sympathy  and  fellowship  with  the  denomination  were 
urged  to  remain  in  vital  connection  with  their  respective  asso- 
ciations. 

The  following  members  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church  were 
present  and  participated  in  the  proceedings  of  the  body: — 
Alpheus  A.  Meredith,  Jonathan  C.  Lowther,  and  Zebulon  Bee. 
Jonathan  C.  Lowther  expressed  the  desire  of  the  Pine  Grove 
Church  to  become  connected  with  the  association,  and  Rev. 
Lucius  R.  Swinney,  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  and  Rev.  Jacob 
Davis  were  appointed  a  special  committee  to  confer  with  a 
committee  from  the  Pine  Grove  Church,  and,  if  possible, 
decide  upon  conditions  of  union,  and  report  at  the  next  session. 
The  Pine  Grove  Church  was  requested  to  represent  itself  at  the 
next  session  by  letter,  delegate,  and  expose  of  faith. 

It  was  voted  that  the  minutes  of  the  association  for  this 
year  should  not  be  printed  in  pamphlet  form,  but  that  their  pub- 
lication should  be  requested  in  the  Sabbath  Recorder.  Moses 
H.  Davis  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to 
the  other  associations. 

The  Ninth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was  held 
with  the  church  at  Greenbrier  beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day  of 
the  week.  May  27,  1880,  at  10:30  o'clock  a.  m.     Rev.  Lewis 


292      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

F.  Randolph  preached  the  introductory  sermon.  Moses  H. 
Davis  presided  over  the  association  as  its  moderator.  The 
recording  secretaries  were  Charles  N.  Maxson  and  Jesse  F. 
Randolph.  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney  acted  as  corresponding 
secretary. 

The  following  churches  were  represented : —  Lost  Creek, 
New  Salem,  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier,  Ritchie,  and  West 
Fork.  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  was  present  as  a  delegate 
from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd  from  the 
Central,  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
George  W.  Burdick  from  the  North-Western.  The  executive 
committee  reported  that  plans  had  been  made  for  Sabbath 
School  institute  work  during  the  year,  but  illness  had  inter- 
fered with  their  being  carried  out.  The  association,  through 
its  committee  on  resolutions,  recommended  that  a  plan  of  sys- 
tematic benevolence  be  adopted ;  pledged  its  hearty  support  to 
the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  and  its  work,  especially 
to  the  Sabbath  Recorder;  and  expressed  a  painful  anxiety 
concerning  the  apparent  dearth  of  candidates  for  the  Gospel 
ministry. 

The  committee  to  confer  with  the  Pine  Grove  Church 
made  a  report  to  the  effect  that,  while  in  their  opinion  there  was 
a  strong  tendency  toward  a  union  of  the  Pine  Grove  Church 
with  the  association,  they  did  not  believe  that  union  was  feas- 
ible at  present ;  but  recommended  that  the  Pine  Grove  Church 
be  requested  to  continue  to  send  delegates  to  the  association 
as  in  the  past.  The  committee  was  continued  with  instructions 
to  continue  its  work  along  the  line  of  the  directions  given  the 
preceding  year. 

Reports  from  four  of  the  churches  showed  an  aggregate 
of  thirty  accessions  during  the  year.  The  committee  on  educa- 
tion again  exhibited  anxiety  concerning  a  denominational 
school,  but  expressed  the  opinion  that  the  only  school  privi- 
leges practicable  would  be  those  of  a  graded  public  school 
at  New  Salem.  The  people  were  urged  to  increase  their  pat- 
ronage of  Alfred  University.  Preston  F.  Randolph  was  sent 
as  a  delegate  to  the  other  associations. 

For  its  Tenth  Annual  Session,  the  association  convened 
with  the  church  at  Middle  Island  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the 
week,  May  26,  1881,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.     The  introductory 


REV.    LUCIUS    R.    SVVINNEY. 
RKV.    TOHN    L.    HUFFMAN. 


REV.    URI    M.    BAIiCOCK. 
RIA'.    MAZZINI   C.   STILLMAN. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  293 

sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  James  B.  Davis.  The  moder- 
ator was  Rev.  Uri  M.  Babcock.  Charles  L.  Polan  and  Franklin 
F.  Randolph  were  recording  secretaries,  and  Moses  H.  Davis, 
corresponding  secretary.  The  following  churches  were  rep- 
resented by  letter  or  delegate,  or  both : —  Lost  Creek,  New 
Salem,  Middle  Island,  West  Fork,  Ritchie,  and  Greenbrier. 
Rev.  Sherman  S.  Griswold  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell  from  the 
Central,  Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
Simeon  H.  Babcock  from  the  North- Western. 

The  executive  committee  reported  that  a  Sabbath  School 
institute  had  been  held  with  the  Ritchie  Church  in  July  of  the 
preceding  year.  The  usual  strong  stand  was  taken  on  the 
temperance  question;  the  support  of  the  association  was 
pledged  to  foreign  missions,  and  to  the  "envelope  system" 
of  systematic  benevolence. 

The  minutes  of  the  association  were  ordered  printed 
in  connection  with  the  minutes  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
General  Conference. 

The  committee  to  confer  with  the  Pine  Grove  Church 
reported  that  a  majority  of  the  members  of  that  church  were 
not  in  favour  of  union  with  the  association. 

On  account  of  financial  disability,  no  delegate  was  sent 
to  the  other  associations  this  year. 

The  association  met  for  its  Eleventh  Annual  Session  with 
the  church  at  Ritchie  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week.  May  25, 
1882,  at  10  o'clock  A.  M.  The  introductory  sermon  was 
preached  by  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney.  The  officers  of  the 
association  were: —  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  moderator; 
Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney  and  Preston  F.  Randolph,  recording 
secretaries;  and  Preston  F.  Randolph,  corresponding  secre- 
tary. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  Lost  Creek,  New  Salem,  Mid- 
dle Island,  Ritchie,  Greenbrier,  and  West  Fork  churches.  A 
petition  was  received  from  the  Bear  Fork  Church,  recently 
organised,  asking  for  admission  into  the  association.  The 
request  was  granted. 

Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore  appeared  as  a  delegate  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Joshua  Judson  White  from  the 
Central,   Rev.   Hiram   P.   Burdick   from  the   Western,   Rev. 


294      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

George  M.  Cottrell  from  the  North-Western,  and  Rev.  Arthur 
E.  Main  from  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

The  reports  of  the  committees  on  education,  Sabbath 
Schools,  and  state  of  reHgion  were  all  of  a  hopeful  tone.  Rev. 
Lucius  R.  Swinney  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other  asso- 
ciations. 

The  Twelfth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  convened 
with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week, 
May  24,  1883,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis.  The  moderator  was 
Preston  F.  Randolph ;  the  recording  secretaries,  Corliss  F. 
Randolph  and  Charles  N.  Maxson ;  and  the  corresponding  sec- 
retary, Levi  B.  Davis.  The  following  churches  were  repre- 
sented:—  New  Salem,  Ritchie,  Middle  Island,  Roanoke,  Lost 
Creek,  and  Bear  Fork. 

The  delegates  from  the  other  associations  were : —  Rev. 
Oliver  D.  Sherman  from  the  Eastern,  Rev.  Herman  D.  Clark 
from  the  Central,  Rev.  James  Summerbell  from  the  Western, 
and  Rev.  George  J.  Crandall  from  the  North-Western.  Rev. 
Arthur  E.  Main  appeared  in  the  interest  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and  Rev,  Lewis  A.  Platts  in  the 
interest  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society. 

The  executive  committee  reported  that  a  Sabbath  School 
institute  had  been  held  at  Salem.  The  committee  on  education 
again  expressed  its  regret  at  the  want  of  facilities  for  higher 
education  within  the  bounds  of  the  association,  and  recom- 
mended that  our  people  avail  themselves  of  the  opportunities 
offered  at  Alfred  University  and  Milton  College. 

A  petition  was  received  from  the  Pine  Grove  Church  ask- 
ing for  admission  into  the  association.  This  was  referred 
to  a  special  committee  consisting  of  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main, 
Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman,  and  Rev.  George  J.  Crandall,  who 
rendered  the  following  report : — 

"Your  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  petition  of  the  Pine 
Grove  Church,  would  respectfully  report  the   following : — 

"After  carefully  considering  the  matter  in  the  light  of  all  the  facts 
within  our  reach,  we  recommend  that  the  church  be  received  into  the 
association  on  these  conditions ;  viz., 

"ist,  That  two  mistakes  of  fact  in  their  communications  to  this 
body  be  corrected. 

"2d,  That  the   Pine   Grove   Church   shall  be  understood  to  agree, 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


295 


by  coming  into  this  association,  to  take  the  very  earliest  practicable 
steps  to  bring  about  a  consolidation  with  the  Ritchie  Church, — steps 
that  shall  duly  recognise  the  fact  that  the  latter  church  is  and  has 
always  been  a  regularly-organised   Seventh   Day  Baptist  Church. 

"3d,  That  all  personal  difficulties  that  have  existed  or  may  now 
exist  on  the  part  of  persons  concerned  in  the  union  of  these  churches 
shall,  in  the  exercise  of  mutual  Christian  forbearance,  be  forever 
dropped." 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  was 
a  very  hopeful  one.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  sent  as  a  dele- 
gate to  the  other  associations. 

The  association  convened  for  its  Thirteenth  Annual  Ses- 
sion with  the  church  at  Greenbrier  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the 
week,  May  29,  1884,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  also  pre- 
sided as  moderator.  Franklin  F.  Randolph  was  recording 
secretary,  and  Corliss  F.  Randolph,  corresponding  secretary. 
The  churches  were  all  represented  by  letter  and  delegate, 
except  the  Bear  Fork  Church.  Rev.  Horace  Stillman  was 
present  as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  J. 
Bennett  Clarke  from  the  Central  Association,  Rev.  Nathan 
Wardner  from  the  North-Western  Association.  Rev.  Arthur 
E.  Main,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Missionary  Society,  acted  as  delegate  from  the  Western  Asso- 
ciation, in  the  absence  of  the  appointed  delegate. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  three 
revival  meetings  within  the  year,  and  an  increase  of  fifty  in 
the  membership  of  the  churches  of  the  association. 

The  delegate  and  alternate  appointed  to  attend  the  other 
associations  being  unable  to  go,  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main  and  Holly 
Welcome  Maxson,  a  deacon  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  were 
requested  to  act  in  that  capacity. 

The  Fourteenth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
held  with  the  church  at  Salem,  beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day 
of  the  week,  May  28,  1885,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Charles  W.  Threlkeld. 
Jesse  F.  Randolph  presided  over  the  association  as  moderator. 
The  recording  secretaries  were  Charles  N.  Maxson  and  Moses 
H.  Davis,  and  the  corresponding  secretary.  Flavins  J.  Ehret. 
All  the  churches  were  represented  either  by  letter  or  del- 
egate, or  both,  with  the  exception  of  the  Bear  Fork  Church. 


296      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  delegates  from  the  other  associations  were  as  follows : — 
Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Rogers  from  the  Eastern,  Rev.  Orville  D. 
Williams  from  the  Central,  Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore  from 
the  Western,  and  Rev.  William  H.  Ernst  from  the  North- 
western. Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main,  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and  Rev.  J. 
Bennett  Clarke,  general  agent  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract 
Society,  were  also  present.  Rev.  Leander  E.  Livermore 
represented  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society. 

The  committee  on  obituaries  reported  the  death  of  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis,  who  had  been  an  active  minister  of  the  Gospel 
for  more  than  twenty  years. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion, 
though  brief,  was  hopeful.  A  custom,  which  had  been  grow- 
ing for  several  years,  of  the  preparation  of  essays  for  presenta- 
tion at  the  association,  is  found  in  vogue  at  this  session. 

Charles  N.  Maxson  was  appointed  delegate  to  the  other 
associations,  but  was  unable  to  act. 

The  Fifteenth  Annual  Session  of  the  assodation  was  held 
with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New  Milton,  beginning  at  10 
o'clock  A.  M.  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week,  May  27,  1886. 
The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Lucius  R. 
Swinney.  Charles  N.  Maxson  presided  as  moderator.  The 
recording  secretaries  were  Preston  F.  Randolph  and  Flavins 
J.  Ehret;  the  corresponding  secretary,  Franklin  F.  Randolph. 
Each  session  of  the  association  began  with  a  period  of  devo- 
tional exercises.  All  the  churches  of  the  association  were 
represented  by  letter  or  delegate. 

Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  and  also  in  behalf  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society.  The  Central  Association  was  rep- 
resented by  Rev.  Stephen  Burdick.  The  delegate  from  the 
Western  Association  was  Rev.  James  E.  N.  Backus,  who 
also  represented  the  interests  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract 
Society,  and  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society.  The 
delegate  from  the  North- Western  Association  was  Rev.  John 
L.  Huffman. 

A  petition  was  presented  from  the .  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church  at  Salemville,  Bedford  County,  Pennsylvania,  by  Rev. 
George  B.  Kagarise,  a  delegate  from  that  church,  asking  for 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


297 


admission  into  the  association.  After  a  careful  examination 
of  the  articles  of  faith  and  the  covenant  of  the  church,  and 
finding  them  in  essential  harmony  with  the  other  churches  of 
the  association,  the  church  at  Salemville  was  received  as  a 
member  of  the  association. 

Loyalty  and  support  were  pledged  by  the  association  to 
the  publications  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society, 
especially  the  Sabbath  Recorder  and  the  Outlook.  Evange- 
listic work  on  the  part  of  the  denomination  was  discussed  at 
length  and  warmly  approved.  A  Sabbath  School  institute 
was  conducted  by  Preston  F.  Randolph  during  the  session  of 
the  association. 

The  association  failed  to  send  a  delegate  to  the  other  asso- 
ciations because  the  delegate  appointed  for  that  purpose  had 
moved  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  association,  and  the  alternate 
had  not  been  notified  of  that  fact  in  time  for  the  latter  to  attend. 

The  Sixteenth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
convened  with  the  Ritchie  Church  at  Berea  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 
on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week,  May  26,  1887.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  the  moderator. 
The  recording  secretaries  were  Franklin  F.  Randolph  and  Alva 
F.  Randolph.  The  corresponding  secretary  was  Jesse  F.  Ran- 
dolph. 

The  following  churches  were  represented : —  Ritchie, 
Middle  Island,  Salem,  Greenbrier,  Roanoke,  and  Lost  Creek. 
Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick  was  present  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Julius  M.  Todd  from  the  Central, 
Rev.  J.  Bennett  Clarke  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Alexander 
McLearn  from  the  North-Western.  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick 
represented  the  interests  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  Rev.  J.  Bennett  Clarke  those  of  the 
American  Sabbath  Tract  Society. 

A  noteworthy  feature  of  the  report  of  the  committee  on 
resolutions  was  a  resolution  which  strongly  urged  Seventh  Day 
Baptists  to  remain  within  the  bounds  of  already  well  estab- 
lished churches  and  not  to  go  to  non-Sabbath-keeping  commun- 
ities for  homes. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  education  noted,  with  sat- 
isfaction, the  increased  interest  on  the  part  of  the  young  people 
in  education  and  urged  the  association  to  encourage  the  estab- 


298      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

lishment  of  a  college-preparatory  school  within  the  bounds  of 
the  association.  Rev.  John  L.  Hufifman,  Jesse  F.  Randolph, 
and  Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis  were  appointed  a  committee  to 
canvass  the  educational  situation  and  to  take  such  steps  as  they 
might  deem  practicable  for  the  establishment  of  such  a 
school. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
showed  that  five  of  the  eight  churches  of  the  association  had 
held  revival  meetings  within  the  year,  that  two  new  pastors 
had  been  settled  within  the  association ;  and  that,  although 
three  more  pastors  were  yet  needed,  there  was  a  commendable 
Christian  spirit  existing  throughout  all  the  churches. 

A  Sabbath  School  institute  was  conducted  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  second  day  of  the  session. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  showed 
that  there  were  seven  Sabbath  Schools  within  the  association, 
with   a  total   membership   of  three   hundred    and    sixty-nine 

(369)- 

Charles  N.  Maxson  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  Seventeenth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
held  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  on  the  Fifth 
Day  of  the  week.  May  24,  1888,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  George  B.  Kagarise 
of  Salemville,  Pennsylvania.  Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis  presided 
as  moderator.  The  recording  secretaries  were  Charles  N. 
Maxson  and  Luther  A.  Bond.  The  corresponding  secretary 
was  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman. 

The  churches  in  the  association  were  all  represented  by 
delegates  except  the  Bear  Fork  Church.  The  West  Fork 
Church  had  changed  its  name  to  that  of  the  roanoke  seventh 
DAY  BAPTIST  CHURCH.  Rcv.  Joseph  C.  Bowen  appeared  as  a 
delegate  from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  William  C. 
Daland  from  the  Central,  Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills  from  the 
Western,  and  Rev.  John  T.  Davis  from  the  North-Western. 
Rev.  Gideon  Henry  F.  Randolph,  who  was  soon  to  go  as  a 
missionary  to  Shanghai,  China,  was  present  and  represented 
the  interests  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  IVIissionary  Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  education  voiced  an 
imperative  demand   for  a  denominational  school  within  the 


REV.     HIRAM    P.    BURDICK. 
KEY.    CHARLES   \V.   THRELKELD. 


REV.    HEXRV    13.    LEWIS. 
REV.  OKl'HEUS  S.    MILLS. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


299 


bounds  of  the  association.  The  special  committee,  appointed 
the  previous  year  to  canvass  this  situation,  reported  as  fol- 
lows : — 

First.  That  they  were  fully  satisfied  that  the  time  had  come  when 
there  should  be   such   a  school. 

Second.     That  Salem  was  a  suitable  place  for  its  location. 

Third.  That  they  were  of  the  opinion  that  sufficient  money  could 
be  raised  within  the  bounds  of  the  association  to  secure  the  grounds 
and  erect  such  buildings  as  would  be  suitable  for  present  use. 

Fourth.  They  recommended  that  a  committee  be  appointed, 
which  should  take  steps  at  once  to  ascertain  the  amount  which  could  be 
raised  by  subscription ;  and  if  a  sufficient  amount  should  be  secured 
so  that  no  debts  should  be  incurred,  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments and  secure  a  suitable  location  and  erect  the  buildings. 

The  report  was  adopted,  and  in  accordance  with  the 
recommendation,  a  committee  was  appointed  consisting  of  the 
following  members : —  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis,  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  George  W.  F.  Randolph,  Charles 
N.  Maxson,  Ethelbert  J.  Davis,  Franklin  F.  Randolph,  Flavius 
J.  Ehret,  and  Samuel  D.  Bond. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  was 
full  of  confidence  and  hope.  The  Copen  Church,  which  had 
been  organised  in  Braxton  County,  West  Virginia,  in  the  pre- 
ceding November,  was,  upon  its  petition,  received  into  the 
association. 

The  committee  on  institute  work  reported  that  a  Sabbath 
School  institute  had  been  held  with  the  Middle  Island  Church 
the  preceding  September.  The  session  of  the  association  was 
marked  by  the  dedication  of  the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  which 
had  been  rebuilt  after  a  disastrous  fire. 

Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

For  several  years  there  had  been  a  growing  tendency  to 
miniinise  the  routine  work  of  the  association  and  thereby 
give  more  time  to  devotional  services.  That  was  especially 
true  of  this  session. 

The  association  convened  with  the  church  at  New  Salem  on 
the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week,  May  23,  1889,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 
for  its  Eighteenth  Annual  Session.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis.  The  moderator  was 
Rev.  John  L.  Huffman ;  the  recording  secretaries,  M.  Wardner 


300      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Davis  and  Franklin  F.  Randolph ;  the  corresponding  secretary, 
Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills. 

All  of  the  churches  of  the  association  were  represented. 
The  West  Union  Church,  at  West  Union,  Doddridge  County, 
w^as,  upon  its  application,  received  into  the  association.  Rev. 
Theodore  L.  Gardiner  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern 
Association,  Rev.  Experience  R.  Burdick  from  the  Central, 
Rev.  George  W.  Burdick  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Fred  F. 
Johnson  from  the  North-Western. 

The  interest  of  this  session  of  the  association  seems  to 
have  been  centred  very  largely  around  the  report  of  the 
special  committee  on  schools  appointed  the  previous  year. 
This  committee  reported  that  they  had  secured  pledges  to  the 
amount  of  nearly  five  thousand  dollars  ($5,000.00),  including 
a  lot  of  five  acres  of  land  at  the  west  end  of  the  village  of 
Salem,  valued  at  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000).  A  stock 
company  under  the  name  of  Salem  Academy  had  been  organ- 
ised and  incorporated  in  accordance  with  the  laws  of  the  state 
of  West  Virginia,  and  in  harmony  with  the  requirements  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society.  The  charter  was 
for  an  academy,  with  the  privilege  of  extending  it  to  that  of 
a  college  as  soon  as  circumstances  warranted.  The  contract  had 
been  let  for  the  erection  of  a  two-story  frame  building,  forty- 
five  feet  by  sixty  feet,  which  was  to  be  completed  by  the  15th 
of  the  following  November. 

Already  a  school  had  been  organised  with  Rev.  John  L. 
Huffman  as  acting  principal,  assisted  by  three  other  teachers. 
There  was  an  enrollment  of  eighty-four  pupils.  The  committee 
felt  that  the  prospect  for  the  school  was  even  better  than  they 
had  had  reason  to  expect. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
pointed  out  that  eight  of  the  ten  churches  embraced  within  the 
association,  had  enjoyed  revival  meetings  during  the  past  year, 
that  there  had  been  an  increased  activity  in  religious  work 
within  the  bounds  of  all  the  churches,  and  that  the  number  of 
churches  composing  the  body  had  been  increased  from  five 
.at  its  formation  in  1872,  to  ten  at  this  time. 

Rev.  George  B.  Kagarise  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the 
other  associations. 

The  Nineteenth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  301 

held  with  the  church  at  Greenbrier  beginning  on  the  Fifth 
Day  of  the  week,  May  29,  1890,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  Rev, 
Marcus  E.  Martin  preached  the  introductory  sermon.  The 
moderator  was  Charles  N.  Maxson ;  the  recording  secretaries, 
M.  Wardner  Davis  and  Flavins  J.  Ehret;  the  corresponding 
secretary,  Franklin  F.  Randolph. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  following  churches : —  Lost 
Creek,  Salem,  Greenbrier,  Middle  Island,  Ritchie,  Roanoke, 
Copen,  Conings,  and  West  Union.  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford 
was  present  as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev. 
Byron  E.  Fiske  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Elston  M.  Dunn 
from  the  North-Western.  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  presented 
the  interests  of  the  South-Western  Association. 

The  committee  on  Sabbath  School  institutes  reported  that 
an  institute  had  been  held  in  October  preceding,  with  the 
Ritchie  Church. 

The  committee  on  resolutions  recognised  the  importance 
of  the  work  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society ; 
took  strong  temperance  ground ;  and  recognised  the  prosperity 
of  Salem  College,  and  urged  its  hearty  support. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  an  active 
religious  interest  and  a  net  increase  of  fifty-one  in  the  member- 
ship of  the  churches  of  the  association. 

The  question  of  changing  the  time  of  holding  the  sessions 
of  the  association  came  up  and  was  referred  to  a  special  com- 
mittee, whose  recommendation  was  adopted  as  follows : — 

"That,  when  this  association  adjourns,  it  adjourns  to  meet  on 
[the]  Fifth  Day  [of  the  week]  before  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  October, 
1891,  providing  the  other  associations  change  the  time  of  •  holding 
their  sessions ;  if  not,  at  our  usual  time." 

The  work  of  the  Young  People's  Society  of  Christian 
Endeavour  received  special  recognition  at  this  session  of  the 
association. 

Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  association  convened  for  its  Twentieth  Annual  Session 
with  the  Middle  Island  Church  at  New  Milton  on  the  Fifth 
Day  of  the  week,  May  28,  1891,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson. 
Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  presided  as  moderator,  with  Preston 
F.   Randolph   and   Festus  P.   Ford   as  recording  secretaries. 


302      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  corresponding  secretary  was  Luther  A.  Bond.  Com- 
munications were  presented  from  nearly  all  the  churches  of 
the  association. 

Rev.  Alexander  McLearn  was  present  as  a  delegate  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Clayton  A.  Burdick  from  the 
Central,  Rev.  Joshua  Clarke  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Asa 
G.  Crofoot  from  the  North- Western.  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main 
and  Rev.  and  Mrs.  David  H.  Davis  appeared  as  representatives 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions,  as  adopted, 
pledged  the  hearty  support  of  the  association  to  the  missionary 
work  of  the  denomination  and  recognised  the  imperative 
demand  for  the  re-inforcement  of  the  medical  department  of 
the  Shanghai  (China)  Mission.  It  strongly  endorsed  Sabbath 
reform,  took  advanced  temperance  ground,  and  urged  the  loyal 
support  of  Salem  College. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  was 
very  brief,  and  deplored  the  lack  of  religious  spirit  throughout 
the  association.  Special  interest  this  year,  as  for  the  past  two 
years,  centred  around  the  cause  of  education.  The  com- 
mittee on  education  reported  that  Salem  Academy  had 
changed  its  name  to  that  of  Salem  College  to  correspond  with 
its  courses  of  study,  that  the  faculty  of  the  college  had  been 
enlarged  and  otherwise  strengthened,  and  that  certain  pledges 
amounting  to  from  five  hundred  dollars  ($500.00)  to  seven 
hundred  dollars  ($700.00)  had  been  secured  for  the  next 
succeeding  four  years  for  current  expenses.  There  were  about 
one  hundred  students  enrolled  in  the  institution ;  four  courses 
of  study  besides  music  and  art  were  taught.  In  short,  Salem 
College  was  fairly  launched  upon  its  career.  For  some  years 
past  there  had  been  a  growing  custom  of  having  special  ser- 
vices during  the  association,  representing  the  different  interests 
of  the  denomination.  This  year  is  found  an  hour  devoted 
to  each  of  the  following: —  Women's  work,  missionary  work, 
publishing  interests  and  Sabbath  reform,  young  people's  work, 
and  educational  work. 

The  Twenty-first  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
held  with  the  Ritchie  Church  beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day  of 
the  week.  May  26,  1892,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory 
sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  presided 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  303 

as  moderator.  The  recording  secretaries  were  Rev.  Theodore 
L.  Gardiner  and  Ray  F.  Randolph;  the  corresponding  secre- 
tary, Franklin  F.  Randolph. 

The  following  churches  were  represented: —  Ritchie, 
Greenbrier,  Roanoke,  Middle  Island,  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  West 
Union,  and  Conings.  Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman  represented 
the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Alphonso  Lawrence  the  Central, 
and  Rev.  Samuel  R.  Wheeler  the  North-Western. 

All  of  the  denominational  interests  were  recognised  in 
the  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions.  The  work  of  the 
American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  as  well  as  the  work  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  students  of  Morgan  Park  (Chicago) 
Theological  Seminary  received  special  notice. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  indi- 
cated a  low  ebb  of  spiritual  life.  The  report  of  the  committee 
on  education  was  devoted  almost  wholly  to  the  work  of  Salem 
College  and  the  encouraging  outlook  for  that  institution. 

Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the 
other  associations. 

The  association  was  convened  for  its  Twenty-second 
Annual  Session  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek  on  the  Fifth 
Day  of  the  week.  May  25,  1893,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The 
introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager, 
who  presided  as  moderator.  The  recording  secretaries  were 
Festus  P.  Ford  and  Preston  F.  Randolph,  and  the  correspond- 
ing secretary,  Moses  H.  VanHorn.  Letters  were  read  from 
the  Salem,  Roanoke,  Lost  Creek,  Conings,  Middle  Island, 
West  Union,  and  Greenbrier  churches. 

Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney  from  the  Central, 
Rev.  George  P.  Kenyon  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Stephen 
Burdick  from  the  North-Western. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  endorsed  the 
position  previously  taken  by  the  association  concerning  mis- 
sionary work  and  Sabbath  reform  work,  and  the  study  of  the 
Bible.  It  also  commended  the  work  of  the  Home  Department 
of  the  Sabbath  School.  The  attempt  previously  made  to  change 
the  time  for  the  meeting  of  the  association  having  failed,  it  was 
now  voted  that  the  time  be  changed  to  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week 
before  the  last  Sabbath,  but  one,  in  May,  provided  the  other 


304      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

associations  would  take  corresponding  action. 

The  report  of  the  Sabbath  School  committee,  while  com- 
mending the  condition  of  the  Sabbath  Schools  and  the  excellent 
work  that  they  were  doing,  deplored  the  neglect  of  institute 
work.  The  report  of  the  committee  recommended  an  earnest 
effort  to  secure  the  attendance  at  the  Sabbath  School  of  more  of 
the  adult  members  of  the  church. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  education  was  a  lengthy 
one,  being  in  reality  an  epitome  of  the  history  of  Salem  College 
for  the  past  year.  It  closed  with  a  strong  appeal  to  the  friends 
of  the  college  for  financial  help. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  revival 
meetings  in  most  of  the  churches  during  the  year,  resulting 
in  upwards  of  fifty  additions  to  the  church  membership  of 
the  association. 

The  association  sent  Rev.  Lely  D.  Seager  as  a  delegate  to 
the  other  associations. 

The  association  convened  for  its  Twenty-third  Annual 
Session  with  the  church  at  Roanoke  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the 
week.  May  17,  1894,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 

The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Darwin  C. 
Lippincott,  a  licentiate  member  of  the  Salem  Church.  The 
moderator  was  Samuel  B.  Bond ;  the  recording  secretaries, 
Luther  A.  Bond  and  Flavins  J.  Ehret ;  the  corresponding  sec- 
retary, M.  Wardner  Davis. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  Roanoke,  Salem,  Ritchie, 
Conings,  Lost  Creek,  Greenbrier,  Black  Lick,  Middle  Island, 
and  Copen  churches. 

Rev.  Frank  E.  Peterson  was  present  as  a  delegate  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Asa  B.  Prentice  from  the  Cen- 
tral, Rev.  Mordecai  B.  Kelly  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
Eugene  H.  Socwell  from  the  North-Western. 

On  application  from  that  church,  the  Black  Lick  Church, 
near  Long  Run,  in  Doddridge  County,  West  Virginia,  which 
had  recently  been  organised,  was  received  as  a  member  of  the 
association.  The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions, 
while  re-iterating  former  utterances  upon  the  questions  of  tem- 
perance, missionary  work,  and  Sabbath  reform,  emphasised 
the  need  of  systematic,  reverent  study  of  the  Bible. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  education  was  full  of  grati- 
(19) 


REV.    SANFORl)    LAFAYETTE    MAXSON. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION  305 

tude  for  the  successful  work  of  Salem  College,  and  pledged  it 
the  heartiest  support  of  the  association.  The  sum  of  five 
hundred  dollars  ($500.00)  was  raised  at  the  association  toward 
liquidating  the  debt  of  the  college. 

This  session  of  the  association  was  note-worthy  for  the 
prominent  part  taken  in  it  by  the  young  people ;  the  moderator 
being  a  young  man,  a  student  of  Salem  College ;  and  the  com- 
mittee-work, as  well  as  the  other  parts  of  the  work  of  the 
association,  was  performed  largely  by  young  people. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  association  convened  for  its  Twenty-fourth  Annual 
Session  with  the  church  at  Salem  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week, 
May  16,  1895,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  William  L.  Burdick.  The  moderator 
was  Moses  H.  VanHorn ;  the  recording  secretaries,  Samuel  B. 
Bond  and  Flavins  J.  Ehret;  and  the  corresponding  secretary, 
M.  Wardner  Davis. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  following  churches : —  Lost 
Creek,  Roanoke,  Ritchie,  Middle  Island,  Black  Lick,  Salem,, 
and  Greenbrier. 

Rev.  Benjamin  F.  Rogers  was  present  as  a  delegate  from^ 
the  Central  Association,  Rev.  Sylvester  S.  Powell  from  the 
Western,  and  Rev.  Darius  K.  Davis  from  the  North-Western. 
Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford  was  present  as  a  representative  of 
the  South-Western  Association,  and  also  in  the  interest  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  appears  to 
have  laid  special  emphasis  upon  the  desirability  of  an  earnest, 
evangelistic  spirit,  and  a  steady  spiritual  growth.  The  report 
of  the  committee  on  education  centred  about  Salem  College, 
and  the  discussion  of  the  report  emphasised  the  diflference 
between  utilitarian  training  and  a  purely  academic  education, 
and  also  the  superiourity  of  denominational  schools  over 
schools  under  control  of  the  state. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  deplored  defections 
from  the  Sabbath  because  of  business  interests. 

Rev.  Marcus  E.  Martin  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  Twenty-fifth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 


3o6      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

held  with  the  church  at  Greenbrier,  beginning  on  the  Fifth  Day 
of  the  week,  May  21,  1896,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Riley  G.  Davis,  a  licentiate 
member  of  the  Greenbrier  Church.  John  H.  Wolfe  presided  as 
moderator.  Samuel  B.  Bond  and  Miss  Beatrice  Lowther  acted 
as  recording  secretaries.  The  corresponding  secretary  was 
Mrs.  Iva  Randolph  Rosier. 

The  following  churches  were  represented : —  Salem, 
Ritchie,  Salemville,  Roanoke,  Lost  Creek,  Black  Lick,  Middle 
Island,  and  Greenbrier.  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick  was  present 
as  a  delegate  from  the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  J.  Allison 
Platts  from  the  Central,  and  Rev.  Willard  D.  Burdick  from  the 
North-Western.  The  appointed  delegate  from  the  Western 
Association  not  being  present,  Miss  Susie  M.  Burdick  acted 
in  that  capacity.  The  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  was 
represented  by  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis,  and  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society  by  Edward  B.  Saunders. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  urged  a  higher 
state  of  religious  activity;  that  greater  prominence  be  given 
Sabbath  reform  in  our  evangelistic  work ;  and  that  denomina- 
tional work  as  a  whole,  should  receive  the  support  of  our 
people. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion,  while  rejoicing 
over  successful  revival  meetings  in  several  of  the  churches, 
deplored  the  fact  that  but  three  of  the  churches  of  the  associ- 
ation had  pastors  and  that  a  large  part  of  the  church  member- 
ship were  without  pastoral  care.  An  increase  of  nineteen  in 
the  membership  was  reported. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  was 
hopeful. 

Darwin  C.  Lippincott  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  Twenty-sixth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
held  with  the  church  at  Salemville,  Pennsylvania,  beginning 
May  27,  1897,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  introductory  sermon 
was  preached  by  Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman.  Flavins  J.  Ehret 
presided  as  moderator.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman  and  Ahva  J.  C. 
Bond  were  recording  secretaries.  Mrs.  Marcella  Stillman 
acted  as  corresponding  secretary. 

There  were  eight  churches  represented  by  letter  or  dele- 


UKV.   (;e(»r<;i-:   w  .    lkwis. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


307 


gate,  as  follows : —  Salem,  Ritchie,  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier, 
Black  Lick,  Lost  Creek,  Roanoke,  and  Salemville. 

Rev.  Oliver  D.  Sherman  was  present  as  a  delegate  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  Rev.  Orpheus  S.  Mills  from  the  Cen- 
tral, Rev.  William  L.  Burdick  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
Theodore  J.  VanHorn  from  the  North-Western.  Rev.  Abram 
Herbert  Lewis  represented  the  South-Western.  Rev.  Oscar 
U.  Whitford  was  present  as  a  delegate  from  the  Seventh  Day- 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis  from 
the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  and  Rev.  Boothe  C. 
Davis  from  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions,  while  strong 
regarding  denominational  interests,  was  in  no  sense  note- 
worthy. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  reported  a  number 
of  revival  meetings  and  a  very  steady  spiritual  growth  in  most 
of  the  churches. 

Riley  G.  Davis  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  Eastern, 
Central,  and  North-Western  associations,  and  Samuel  B.  Bond 
to  the  Western. 

The  Twenty-seventh  Annual  Session  of  the  association 
was  convened  with  the  Middle  Island  Church  on  the  Fifth  Day 
of  the  week,  May  19,  1898,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Darwin  C.  Lippincott. 
The  association  was  presided  over  by  Ernest  F.  Randolph  as 
moderator.  Xenia  E.  Bond  and  Beatrice  Lowther  were 
recording  secretaries ;  and  Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman,  corre- 
sponding secretary. 

The  following  churches  were  represented : —  Lost  Creek, 
Greenbrier,  Salem,  Black  Lick,  Roanoke,  Middle  Island, 
Salemville,  and  Ritchie. 

The  delegates  from  the  other  associations  were  as  fol- 
lows : —  Rev.  Martin  Sindall  from  the  Central,  Rev.  James 
L.  Gamble  from  the  Western,  Rev.  D.  Burdette  Coon  from  the 
North-Western  and  South-Western.  No  delegate  was  present 
from  the  Eastern  Association. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  notes 
as  a  cause  of  encouragement,  that  in  nearly  all  the  churches 
reporting  revivals,  the  increase  in  church  membership  was 
largely  from  the  Sabbath  Schools. 


3o8      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  reHgion  reported  several 
revival  meetings  with  additions  to  the  membership  in  growth 
and  spiritual  power,  and  reported  five  churches  as  having 
pastors. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  recommended 
and  urged  upon  the  people  the  practise  of  some  plan  of 
systematic  giving  for  denominational  work. 

Flavius  J.  Ehret  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other  asso- 
ciations. 

The  Twenty-eighth  Annual  Session  of  the  association 
was  held  with  the  Ritchie  Church,  at  Berea,  beginning  on  the 
Fifth  Day  of  the  week.  May  18,  1899,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m. 
The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Riley  G.  Davis. 
Avah  John  Clarence  Bond  presided  as  moderator;  Xenia  E. 
Bond  and  Flavius  J.  Ehret  acted  as  recording  secretaries, 
and  M.  Wardner  Davis,  as  corresponding  secretary. 

Letters  were  read  from  all  the  churches.  Rev.  Herman 
D.  Clarke  was  present  as  a  delegate  from  the  North-Western 
Association,  Rev.  Clayton  A.  Burdick  from  the  Central,  Rev. 
Willard  D.  Burdick  from  the  Western,  and  Rev.  Oscar  U. 
Whitford  from  the  Eastern.  Edward  B.  Saunders  was  present 
in  the  interest  of  the  South- Western  Association.  Rev.  Abram 
Herbert  Lewis,  corresponding  secretary  of  the  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society,  was  also  present.  Rev.  Oscar  U. 
Whitford  represented  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary 
Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools  showed 
that  ten  Sabbath  Schools  had  been  maintained  in  the  Asso- 
ciation during  the  past  year. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
showed  that  the  resident  membership  of  the  churches  in  the 
association  numbered  five  hundred  and  eighty,  a  net  loss  of 
seventeen  during  the  year. 

The  work  of  the  committee  on  education  was  confined  to 
an  Educational  Hour,  conducted  by  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardi- 
ner, president  of  Salem  College.  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis, 
president  of  Alfred  University;  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford, 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Mission- 
ary Society ;  Rev.  Abram  H.  Lewis,  corresponding  secretary 
of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society;  and  Rev.  Theodore 


\<\:\.  KLLis  ADKLi'.KKT  \\ri'n-:R. 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


309 


L.  Gardiner,  president  of  Salem  College,  took  part  upon  the 
programme. 

Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the 
other  associations. 

The  Twenty-ninth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  was 
held  with  the  church  at  Lost  Creek  beginning  on  the  Fifth 
Day  of  the  week,  May  17,  1900,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  David  W.  Leath,  and 
was  followed  by  an  address  by  the  moderator,  Roy  F.  Ran- 
dolph. The  recording  secretaries  were  Xenia  E.  Bond  and 
Flavins  J.  Ehret.  Samuel  B.  Bond  acted  as  corresponding  sec- 
retary. 

Letters  were  read  from  the  Lost  Creek,  Greenbrier, 
Conings,  Salem,  Salemville,  Berea,  Black  Lick,  Roanoke,  and 
Middle  Island  churches. 

The  Eastern  Association  was  represented  by  Rev.  Samuel 
H.  Davis,  the  Central  by  Dr.  Herbert  C.  Brown,  the  Western 
by  Rev.  James  G.  Mahoney,  the  North-Western  by  Rev. 
Sanford  L.  Maxson,  and  the  South-Western  by  Rev.  Oscar 
U.  Whitford.  The  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society 
and  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society  were  represented 
by  their  corresponding  secretaries.  Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford 
and  Rev,  Abram  H.  Lewis,  respectively.  The  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Education  Society  was  represented  by  Rev.  Theodore 
L.  Gardiner,  president  of  Salem  College ;  and  by  Rev.  Boothe 
C.  Davis,  president  of  Alfred  University. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  Sabbath  Schools,  and 
that  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  contained  nothing 
note-worthy. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  resolutions  urged  a 
greater  consecration  to  Christ,  a  more  active  service,  and  a 
more  liberal  giving  for  the  salvation  of  lost  men.  It  also 
pledged  the  support  of  the  association  to  the  missionary  work 
recently  initiated  in  British  Central  Africa.  At  this  session 
of  the  association,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  five  dollars 
($205.00)  was  pledged  toward  liquidating  the  debt  of  Salem 
College.  Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to 
the  other  associations. 

The  Thirtieth  Annual  Session  of  the  association  convened 


310      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

with  the  church  at  Salem  on  the  Fifth  Day  of  the  week,  May 
i6,  1901,  at  10  o'clock  A.  M. 

The  introductory  sermon  was  preached  by  Rev.  Darwin 
C.  Lippincott.  It  was  followed  by  an  address  by  the  mod- 
erator, Aldis  L.  Davis. 

The  recording  secretaries  were  Flavius  J.  Ehret  and  Dora 
Gardiner.    The  corresponding  secretary  was  Samuel  B.  Bond. 

The  following  churches  were  represented : —  Salem,  Lost 
Creek,  Ritchie,  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier,  Black  Lick,  and 
Conings. 

The  delegates  from  the  other  associations  were  as  fol- 
lows:—  Rev.  Leon  D.  Burdick  from  the  Eastern,  Rev.  John 
T.  Davis  from  the  Central,  Rev.  Lester  C.  Randolph  from  the 
Western,  and  Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter  from  the  North-Western. 

By  request  of  that  body,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner 
appeared  as  a  delegate  from  the  South-Western  Association. 

Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick  represented  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society ;  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis,  the 
American  Sabbath  Tract  Society ;  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society.  Rose  Palmborg, 
M.  D.,  medical  missionary  to  Shanghai,  China,  was  also 
present. 

The  committee  on  the  state  of  religion  shows  twenty- 
seven  accessions  to  the  membership  of  the  churches  of  the 
association  during  the  year. 

The  committee  on  education  conducted  a  special  educa- 
tional service  on  the  second  day  of  the  association,  in  which 
the  following  speakers  took  part : —  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis, 
president  of  Alfred  University;  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner, 
president  of  Salem  College;  Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter,  and  Rev. 
Lester  C.  Randolph. 

On  the  last  day  of  the  session,  a  special  service  was  con- 
ducted, dedicating  the  new  house  of  worship  of  the  Salem 
Church.  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis  preached  the  dedicatory 
sermon ;  and  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardi- 
ner, and  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  assisted  in  the  service. 

Moses  H.  VanHorn  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the  other 
associations. 

The  association  met  for  its  Thirty-first  Annual  Session 
with  the  church   at   Salemville,   Pennsylvania,   on   the   Fifth 


% 


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SHOWI/VC    CHl/RCHES    IN  THE 


SOUTHEASTERN 

ASSOCIATION 

BOTH      ACTl\/C      AND       EiyriNCT 


THE   SOUTH-EASTERN   ASSOCIATION 


311 


Day  of  the  week,  May  15,  1902,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.  The  intro- 
ductory sermon  was  preached  by  WilHam  L.  Davis.  S. 
Orestes  Bond  presided  as  moderator.  The  recording  secre- 
taries were  Harold  Stillman  and  Charles  C.  Wolfe.  Rev. 
Mazzini  G.  Stillman  acted  as  corresponding  secretary. 

The  following  churches  were  represented: —  Salem,  Lost 
Creek,  Middle  Island,  Greenbrier,  Black  Lick,  Ritchie, 
Conings,  Roanoke,  and  Salemville. 

Rev.  George  B.  Shaw  was  present  as  a  delegate  from  the 
Eastern  Association,  Rev.  William  C.  Daland  from  the  Cen- 
tral, Rev.  William  C.  Whitford  from  the  Western,  and  Rev. 
George  W.  Hills  from  the  North-Western.  The  South-West- 
ern  Association  was  not  represented.  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardi- 
ner represented  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society ;  Rev, 
Ellis  A.  Witter,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society ; 
and  Rev.  Arthur  E.  Main,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Educa- 
tion Society. 

The  report  of  the  committee  on  the  state  of  religion 
showed  a  net  increase  of  eighteen  in  the  membership  of  the 
churches  of  the  association.  The  ordination  of  Charles  C. 
Wolfe,  who  had  been  chosen  as  a  deacon  of  the  Salemville 
Church,  took  place  in  the  afternoon  of  the  last  day  of  the 
session.  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  Rev.  William  C.  Daland, 
Rev.  Mazzini  G.  Stillman,  and  Rev.  George  B.  Shaw  took  part 
in  this  service.  Ahva  J.  C.  Bond  was  sent  as  a  delegate  to  the 
other  associations. 

The  South-Eastern  Association,  unlike  its  predecessors, 
the  old  South- Western  and  the  Virginia  associations,  was  built 
upon  a  substantial  foundation.  As  a  legitimate  result,  denomi- 
national spirit  has  been  fostered  and  developed,  community  of 
interest  has  been  accentuated,  and  structural  solidarity  has 
been  established  and  maintained. 

To  this  end,  doctrinal  discussions  have  been  avoided,  and 
church  embroilments  sedulously  guarded  against;  and  the 
concrete  results  place  the  wisdom  of  such  a  course  beyond 
the  pale  of  doubt. 

The  number  (five)  of  churches  originally  composing  the 
association,  has,  from  time  to  time,  been  increased  by  seven 
in  all;  viz.,  Roanoke  (West  Fork);  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio; 
Conings  (Bear  Fork)  ;  Salemville;  Copen;  West  Union;  and 


312 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 


Black  Lick.  Of  these  the  Jackson  Centre  Church,  for  reasons 
of  convenience  to  itself,  has  become  a  member  of  the  North- 
Western  Association ;  and  the  West  Union  and  Copen  churches 
have  become  extinct.  The  others  all  preserve  their  identity, 
and  the  most  of  them  maintain  a  state  of  normal  activity. 

Not  only  that,  but  the  original  churches  have  grown, 
not  merely  in  numbers,  but  in  organisation  and  power,  both 
spiritual  and  material. 

The  greatest  result  accomplished  by  the  association  has 
been  the  establishing  and  maintaining  of  Salem  College,  whose 
history  is  discussed  in  a  subsequent  chapter  of  this  book. 

The  South-Eastern  Association  has  before  it  a  most  prom- 
ising future ;  and  it  likewise  has  the  ability  and  desire  to  ful- 
fill these  promises. 


XXII. 


MISSIONARY  WORK. 


^fMLTHOUGH  situated  at  a  remote  dis- 
5^lcv  tance  from  other  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist churches,  the  new  settlers  in 
Virginia  struggled  hard  to  keep  in 
close  touch  with  the  rest  of  the 
denomination. 

In  the  year  1808,  Rev.  John 
Davis  attended  the  annual  session 
of  the  General  Conference,  held 
with  the  church  at  Hopkinton, 
Rhode  Island,  as  the  representative  of  both  the  New  Salem  and 
Lost  Creek  churches,  and  had  expected  to  attend  the  annual 
session  of  the  General  Conference  at  the  same  place  three  years 
afterward,  but  his  plans  changed,  upon  his  determination  to 
remove  to  the  state  of  Ohio. 

In  the  spring  of  18 17,  Manning  Dunn,  a  licentiate  mem- 
ber of  the  Piscataway  Church,  made  a  visit  to  the  Virginia 
churches. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference  held  with 
the  church  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island,  in  September,  1817, 
a  plan  for  missionary  work  to  be  undertaken  under  the  general 
direction  of  the  General  Conference  was  submitted,  which  was 
adopted  the  following  year,  at  the  annual  session  held  with  the 
church  at  Berlin,  New  York,  in  September.  A  board  of  man- 
agers was  elected.  Rev.  William  Satterlee,  Rev.  Amos  R. 
Wells,  and  Rev.  William  B.  Maxson  were  recommended  by 
the  General  Conference  to  be  employed  to  do  missionary  work 
for  the  following  year.  To  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  was  assigned 
the  task  of  making  a  missionary  journey  to  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, western  Virginia,  and  Ohio. 


314      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

He  made  his  first  visit  to  the  Virginia  field  in  the  following 
winter,  (1818-19),  accompanied  by  Rev.  Samuel  Davis,  of  the 
church  at  Salem,  New  Jersey.  There  appears  to  be  no  record 
of  this  visit,  further  than  some  general  references  to  it  in 
the  report  by  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells,  of  his  second  visit  a  few 
months  afterward,  in  the  summer  of  18 19. 

On  his  second  visit.  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  was  unaccom- 
panied. He  reached  Lost  Creek  about  the  loth  of  July.  Since 
his  visit  the  preceding  winter,  he  says  "the  Lord  has  been  car- 
rying on  his  good  work,  in  a  manner,  before  this,  unknown  in 
these  parts,  particularly  within  the  bounds  of  the  New  Salem 
Church." 

Here  he  spent  some  three  weeks  in  faithful  missionary 
labour,  and  in  the  first  part  of  August,  he  regretfully  pursued 
his  journey  toward  the  Mad  River  Church  in  Ohio.  After 
remaining  there  as  long  as  he  felt  that  he  had  time  to  remain, 
he  returned,  contrary  to  his  previous  plans,  through  Virginia. 
He  conducted  more  meetings,  after  which  several  candidates 
for  baptism  presented  themselves.  In  all  he  baptized  thirty- 
five  persons  in  Harrison  County,  Virginia,  during  this  visit. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1820,  for  a  third  time.  Rev.  Amos  R. 
Wells  again  set  his  face  toward  western  Virginia,  as,  doubtless 
not  without  pvirpose,  he  remarks  in  his  journal  of  this  tour, 
"to  go  forth  facing  a  frowning  world,  and  a  tempting  Devil," 
etc. 

He  further  says: — 
"With  considerable  difficulty,  and  much  fatigue,  I  arrived  at 
Brother  Abel  Bond's,  in  Harrison  County,  Virginia,  the  Sixth  Day 
[of  the  week],  it  being  the  25th  of  August.  I  staid  in  this  county  nine 
days,  in  which  time  I  travelled  upwards  of  one  hundred  miles,  attended 
a  Methodist  camp-meeting  two  days,  and  one  church  meeting,  tried 
to  preach  ten  times,  baptized  two  persons,  and  administered  the 
communion." 

On  the  4th  of  September,  he  set  out  for  the  Salem  and 
Shiloh  churches  in  New  Jersey,  where  he  arrived  on  the  ninth 
day,  after  travelling  three  hunrdred  and  forty  miles  in  dry  hot 
weather,  on  horseback.  After  spending  a  week  there,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Piscataway  in  order  to  attend  the  annual  session 
of  the  General  Conference.  On  his  way  to  Virginia,  he  had 
gone  through  New  York  State,  visiting  among  other  churches, 
those  at  Petersburgh,  DeRuyter,    Scott    (where    he    assisted 


MISSIONARY  WORK 


315 


William  B.  Maxson  to  organise  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
church),  and  Alfred.  He  also  visited  French  Creek  in  Penn- 
sylvania, and  from  that  point,  he  started  on  the  7th  of  August 
on  his  way  to  Virginia  accompanied  by  "a  young  man  by  the 
name  of  Cornwall  .  .  .  who  wished  to  travel  on  account  of  his 
health."  His  companion  not  only  visited  Virginia  with  him, 
but  also  accompanied  him  to  New  Jersey. 

On  this  journey  he  received  the  following  contributions 
in  Virginia : — 

From   Seventh  Day  Baptists  on  Lost   Creek $800 

From  Jonathan  Bond  at  Lost  Creek i  00 

From  Simeon  Maxson,  of  the  New  Salem  Church 2  00 

From  Nathan  Davis,  of  the  New  Salem  Church i  00 

From  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  of  the  New  Salem  Church i  00 

From  Jesse  Fitz  Randolph,  of  the  New  Salem  Church 50 

Total $13  so 

The  total  amount  collected  on  the  entire  trip  of  three 
months  and  a  half,  was  forty-one  dollars  and  eighteen  cents 
($41.18). 

On  the  2d  of  April,  1821,  Rev.  John  Davis,  pastor  of  the 
church  at  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  accompanied  by  John  Bright, 
a  deacon  of  the  same  church,  set  out  for  a  missionary  tour 
through  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  and  Indiana. 

Like  the  missionaries  who  had  preceded  him.  Rev.  John 
Davis  visited  the  old  Woodbridgetown  Church,  which  for  sev- 
eral years  had  been  so  sadly  on  the  decline  that  it  was  at  a 
very  low  ebb.  Here  he  preached  three  times,  besides  twice  on 
Georges  Creek,  and  once  at  New  Geneva  on  the  Monongahela 
River,  at  the  mouth  of  Georges  Creek.  On  the  20th  of  the 
month  he  arrived  at  Abel  Bond's.  For  the  next  eight  or  nine 
days,  he  visited  within  the  bounds  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 
He  preached  nine  times,  and  baptized  four  individuals. 

He  next  went  to  New  Salem,  and  spent  the  same  length  of 
time  with  that  church,  preaching  an  equal  number  of  times, 
but  he  records  no  baptisms  there. 

Both  churches  expressed  gratitude  that  missionaries  had 
been  sent  among  them,  and  hoped  that  the  practise  would  con- 
tinue. 

On  the  7th  of  May,  he  set  forward  on  his  journey  to 
Ohio  and  Indiana,  still  accompanied  by  Deacon  Bright,  where 


3i6      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

he  was  to  visit  former  members  of  the  Shiloh  and  Piscataway 
churches.    They  did  not  return  by  way  of  Virginia. 

During  their  visit  with  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  Rev.  John 
Davis  and  Deacon  John  Bright  were  invited  to  sit  in  judgment 
upon  the  articles  of  faith  of  that  church,  as  the  church  was 
divided  at  that  time  upon  the  doctrine  of  Calvinism.  They 
rendered  a  report,  after  taking  a  due  length  of  time  to  consider 
the  questions  at  issue,  which  was  read  at  a  business  meeting 
of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  on  December  2,  1821.  The  report 
gave  satisfaction  to  all. 

In  Virginia,  Rev.  John  Davis  received  the  following  con- 
tributions : — 

At  Lost  Creek: — 

John  Forsythe    $  2  00 

William  VanHorn  i  00 

Abner  Batten    50 

Mary   Bond    (widow)    50 

Cornelius  Williams   25 

Jacob   Davis    i  00 

Davis  Loofboro  50 

Collection    3  18 

At  New  Salem; — 

Jesse  F.   Randolph    50 

Simeon  Maxson  2  00 

James  Graves   50 

Nathan  Davis,  Esq i  00 

Mrs.  Jane  Davis   50 

George  J.   Davis    12^/2 

Jesse  Davis   25 

Total    $13  ^oYz 

At  Woodbridgetown,  Pennsylvania : — 
Mrs.   Woodbridge    $1  00 

At  New  Geneva,  Pennsylvania : — 

Mrs.    Nicholson    $5  00 

On  December  6,  1821,  Rev.  John  Greene  started  from  his 
home  at  DeRuyter,  New  York,  on  a  missionary  tour  through 
the  western  parts  of  New  York,  and  in  the  states  of  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Virginia.  He  reached  Woodbridgetown  on  the  12th 
of  January,  where  he  stopped  at  Isaac  Griffin's,  whose  wife 
was  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist.  Here  he  remained  for  two  days, 
and  preached  once. 

Despite  the  extremely  unpropitious  weather,  he  started  on 
the   15th  of  the  month  for  Abel  Bond's,  where  he  arrived 


MISSIONARY  WORK  317 

the  next  day.  After  a  day's  rest,  in  company  with  Rev.  John 
Davis,  whose  home  was  near  that  of  Abel  Bond,  and  Levi 
Bond,  he  started  for  New  Salem,  eighteen  miles  distant,  where 
he  was  warmly  greeted.  Here  he  staid  for  ten  days,  visiting  the 
widely  scattered  membership  of  that  church,  and  preaching 
twelve  times. 

On  the  28th  of  January,  he  returned  to  Lost  Creek,  where 
he  remained  for  eight  days,  visiting  from  house  to  house,  and 
preaching  nine  times,  besides  baptizing  one  person. 

Both  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches  were 
greatly  pleased  at  this  coming  of  Rev.  John  Greene,  and 
prayed  that  the  visits  of  missionaries  might  continue. 

On  the  6th  of  February,  he  set  out  on  his  return  trip  home. 
He  first  proceeded  to  Woodbridgetown,  where  he  remained 
three  days,  during  which  time,  he  visited  the  members  of  the 
church,  and  preached  four  times.  On  February  11,  he 
departed  from  that  place. 

During  this  visit,  he  received  the  following  contribu- 
tions : — 

New  Salem : — 

James  Davis    $      25 

Dea.   Simeon  Maxson    3  50 

Nathan  Davis  i  00 

William  Davis    25 

John  Howell   25 

William  Davis,  Esq 50 

George  J.  Davis  50 

Widow  Maxson   25 

Jesse  Fitz  Randolph  i  00 

Jesse  Davis    25 

Joshua   Davis    25 

William  Davis    25 

Lost  Creek : — 

Collection     $10  82 

Widow   Bond    50 

Thomas  B.  Bond  25 

Dea.  Abel  Bond   75 

Total  for  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  $20  57 

Also  received  at  Lost  Creek  for  Magazines   $4  63 

Woodbridgetown : — 

Mrs.  Griffin  $    50 

Eliza  Griffin   75 

Mrs.  David  51 


3l8      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Mrs.  Nicholson i  oo 

Mr.  Dunaway   i  oo 

Total     $3  76 

On  the  9th  of  November,  182 1,  almost  a  full  month  before 
Rev,  John  Greene  had  set  out  on  his  tour  on  which  he  visited 
Virginia,  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  had  once  more  set  out  on  a 
missionary  tour,  on  which  he  was  to  visit  the  churches  of 
New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  New 
York  State. 

On  the  1 2th  of  February  following,  he  reached  Isaac 
Griffin's  near  Woodbridgetown,  only  to  learn  that  Rev.  John 
Greene  had  finally  departed  on  his  way  home  that  morning. 

Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  remained  over  night  at  Mr.  Griffin's, 
and  the  next  day  proceeded  on  his  journey,  at  that  time 
planning  to  return  by  way  of  Woodbridgetown.  He  arrived 
at  the  home  of  Abel  Bond  on  February  14. 

He  remained  with  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem 
churches  about  a  month  and  a  half.  He  found  the  people 
"as  they  had  ever  been,  very  kind."  A  good  fraternal  spirit 
existed  in  the  churches,  which  were  apparently  in  a  flourishing 
condition. 

Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  attended  thirty-nine  meetings  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  received  two  new  members  into  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  who  had  previously  been  baptized. 

As  heretofore  stated.  Rev.  Amos  R.  Wells  had  originally 
intended  to  return  by  way  of  Woodbridgetown,  and 
thence  go  to  New  York  State.  But  after  reaching  Virginia, 
and  carefully  considering  every  thing,  he  decided  to  visit  the 
Mad  River  Church  in  Ohio,  whence  he  was  prevailed  upon  to 
go  on  to  Indiana.  And  on  the  2d  of  April,  in  company  with 
Jacob  Maxson,  he  proceeded  on  his  journey. 

While   in   Virginia,   Rev.   Amos   R.   Wells   received  the 
following  contributions : — 
Lost  Creek  Church  : — 

Mrs.    Mary    Loofboro     $      25 

Davis  Loofboro    25 

Mary  Bond    (widow)    50 

James  Kennedy    37 

Ichabod   Davis    25 

Cornelius    Williams    25 

Elijah  Williams    13 


MISSIONARY  WORK  319 

New  Salem  Church  : — 

Jesse  Davis    $  25 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  50 

Jesse  Fitz  Randolph  i  00 

Joshua   Davis    50 

Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph   50 

William  Davis,  Greenbrier  50 

Peter  Davis,  Greenbrier   20 

George  J.  Davis,  Greenbrier 25 

Nathan  Davis,  Middle  Island   i  00 

Deacon    Simeon    Maxson,    Middle    Island    3  50 

Betsey  Hughes,  Middle  Island  50 

Total    for    two   churches    $10  70 

Besides  the  foregoing,  he  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  one  pair  of 
woolen  socks  from  "Mrs.  Randolph,"  of  New  Salem. 

Again  on  the  i8th  of  November,  1823,  Rev.  John  Greene 
set  out  from  his  home  at  DeRuyter,  New  York,  on  a  mission- 
ary tour  through  the  western  part  of  New  York,  and  through 
Pennsylvania  and  Virginia. 

On  the  1 2th  of  December,  1823,  he  arrived  at  John  Dun- 
away's,  near  Woodbridgetown,  Pennsylvania.  Here  he 
remained  until  the  i6th  of  December,  when  he  resumed  his 
journey  to  Virginia.  He  reached  Abel  Bond's  on  the  follow- 
ing day.  Here  he  found  a  call  to  go  to  Middle  Island,  one  of 
the  settlements  within  the  bounds  of  the  New  Salem  Church, 
to  assist  in  the  ordination  of  Peter  Davis  to  the  work  of  the 
Gospel  ministry.  Accordingly,  on  the  19th  of  December,  in 
company  with  several  members  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
he  set  out  for  Middle  Island,  or  Lewisport  (now  West  Union). 
He  preached  on  the  Sabbath;  and  on  the  following  day,  he 
assisted  in  the  ordination  service,  preaching  a  sermon,  using 
as  a  text,  II  Corinthians  v,  20. 

Rev.  John  Greene  continued  for  some  time  in  this  region 
labouring  within  the  bounds  of  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem 
churches.  On  the  15th  of  January  he  assisted  in  the  ordination 
of  Lewis  A.  Davis  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  ministry.  On  this 
occasion,  the  candidate  preached  a  discourse,  after  which  Rev. 
John  Greene  also  preached,  taking  as  a  text,  I  Timothy  iii^ 
15.  The  same  day,  he  baptized  John  La  Forge  F.  Ran- 
dolph. 

After  having  laboured  in  this  region  for  a  period  of 
thirty-two  days,  and  preached  forty  times,  Rev.  John  Greene 


320      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

started  from  Abel  Bond's  on  his  return  trip,  on  the  19th 
of  January,  followed  by  the  blessings  and  prayers  of  the 
Virginia  people.  On  the  21st,  he  arrived  at  Isaac  Grififin's, 
Esq.,  where  he  remained  for  three  days,  and  preached  three 
times,  and  then  proceeded  homeward. 

On  this  visit,  Rev.  John  Greene  received  the  following 
contributions  from  the  people  in  Virginia: — 

Mrs.  Bond   $  i  00 

Milan    Stout    25 

Anna  Bond    45 

Rachel    Bond    50 

Dea.   Abel   Bond    62i/^ 

Mrs.    Dicks    50 

Collection  at  Lost  Creek   3  545^ 

Cornelius  Williams   25 

Elijah  Williams   12I/2 

Nathan  Davis,  Esq i  50 

Jesse  Davis    50 

Dea.  Simeon  Maxson  4  00 

Jonathan  Howell   27Y2 

Jesse  Davis    25 

Stephen  Davis   50 

George  J.   Davis    25 

Jesse  Fitz  Randolph  i  00 

Mrs.  Randolph   50 

Lewis  A.  Davis   50 

Sally   VanHorn    i  00 

Jacob  D.   Maxson    25 

James    Clendennon    50 

Thomas  VanHorn    25 

William   VanHorn    47^ 

Total   Amount  received  in  Virginia    $19095/^ 

At  its  annual  meeting  held  with  the  Piscataway  Church, 
October,  1828,  the  Missionary  Society  voted  to  employ  Rev. 
Joel  Greene  for  the  entire  year  following,  and  directed  that 
he  spend  three  months  of  this  time  in  the  states  of  Vir- 
ginia, Indiana,  and  Ohio,  and  at  French  Creek,  Pennsylvania. 
His  report  the  following  year  shows  that  he  travelled  for  ten 
months  and  two  days,  but  does  not  state  whether  he  visited 
Virginia  or  not. 

The  Missionary  Society,  at  its  annual  meeting  held  with  the 
church  at  Alfred,  New  York,  in  September,  1830,  adopted  a 
report  of  its  committee  on  arrangements,  recommending  the 
(20) 


REV.    JOHN    GREENE.  REV.    JOHN    DAVIS,    OF    SHILOIT. 

JOHN    HRIGHT. 
REW    JOEL   GREENE.  rkv.    JAMES    nAH.EV. 


MISSIONARY  WORK  321 

employment  of  a  missionary  for  six  months  of  the  ensuing  year, 
in  the  vicinities,  respectively,  of  Hayfield  and  Woodbridgetown, 
Pennsylvania,  and  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem,  Virginia ;  and 
Rev.  William  B.  Maxson  was  appointed  to  occupy  that  field. 
But  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the  society,  held  with  the  church 
at  Petersburgh,  New  York,  the  following  year,  in  September, 

183 1,  Rev.  William  B.  Maxson  reported  that  he  had  not  per- 
formed the  labour  assigned  him.  Then  the  society  voted  to 
send  a  missionary  to  that  field  for  four  months  of  the  following 
year. 

At  the  next  annual  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Society, 
held  with  the  church  at  Brookfield,  New  York,  in  September, 

1832,  Rev.  Joel  Greene  presented  a  report  showing  that  he  had 
laboured  upon  the  Virginia  field  for  four  months  and  a  half, 
and  had  collected  forty-eight  dollars  and  ninety-one  cents 
($48.91). 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Society,  held 
with  the  church  at  Shiloh,  New  Jersey,  in  September,  1833, 
the  executive  committee  reported  that  during  the  preceding 
year,  the  committee  had  sent  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell  to  Vir- 
ginia as  a  missionary  for  a  term  of  six  months.  And  that  his 
work  had  been  so  successful,  and  the  solicitations  of  the  Vir- 
ginia people  for  his  return  so  great,  that  the  committee  had 
re-appointed  him  indefinitely,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
society.  And  although  the  last  report  from  him  showed  that 
he  was  in  rather  feeble  health,  the  committee  had  not  seen  fit 
to  recall  him.  Before  the  next  annual  session  of  the  society, 
however,  he  had  finished  his  labours  on  the  Virginia  field. 

For  his  first  visit  to  Virginia,  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell 
started  from  his  home  at  DeRuyter  some  time  during  the  fall 
of  1832.  When  he  reached  Uniontown,  Pennsylvania,  he 
stopped  at  the  home  of  Colonel  Oliphant,  whose  wife  was  a 
daughter  of  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge,  and  was  herself  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church.  Here  he  was  heartily 
welcomed.  He  visited  until  the  next  day,  when  he  proceeded 
to  Woodbridgetown,  which  was  several  miles  distant,  in  com- 
pany with  Jonathan  Bond,  of  Woodbridgetown,  whom  Mrs. 
Oliphant  had  invited  to  Uniontown  to  meet  her  distinguished 
guest. 

He     remained     at     Woodbridgetown     for     some     time. 


322      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

preaching  evenings  and  visiting  during  the  day.  He 
found  a  church  of  about  fourteen  members,  inckiding  five 
or  six  famiHes.  He  began  holding  meetings  in  a  school  house, 
iDUt  in  order  to  accommodate  the  growing  congregations,  the 
meetings  were  soon  afterward  removed  to  the  meeting  house, 
which  was  soon  crowded  to  its  utmost  capacity.  He  says, 
"The  people  in  that  vicinity  had  been  so  long  fed  with  election 
and  fore-ordination  that  they  were  almost  starved  to  death. 
I  think  I  never  was  in  another  such  a  hot -bed  of  rank  Calvin- 
ism." He  found  three  families  of  the  Woodbridgetown 
Church  to  be  Calvinists,  who  appeared  to  lay  more  stress  upon 
the  teachings  of  John  Calvin,  than  upon  those  of  the  Master. 

In  this  connection,  a  letter  addressed  to  him  by 
one  of  the  members  of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church, 
soon  after  one  of  his  visits  there,  will  throw  a  strong  sidelight 
upon  the  theology  of  the  church.     The  letter  runs  as  follows : 

"New  Geneva,  2nd  Mo.,  iqth,  1834. 
"My  Dear  Brother  Campbell: — 

"Perhaps  we  do  not  disagree  in  sentiment  so  much  as  in  words. 
When  we  were  conversing  together  about  doctrine,  I  could  not  recollect 
some  passages  of  Scripture  concerning  the  chosen  people  of  God, 
which  have  since  recurred  to  my  mind,  and  which  I  wish  to  mention 
to  you;  viz..  Acts  xni,  48;  Acts  xviii,  10;  Acts  iv,  15;  Eph.  i,  4; 
Eph.  V,  n;  Matt,  xxv,  34;  Matt,  n,  25,  26,  I  Peter  i,  2;  John  xvn,  9; 
Rom.  VIII,  22,  24,  30,  32,  39;  I  Cor.  i,  26,  27,  28. 

"But  the  time  would  fail  me  to  enumerate  all  the  passages  which 
teach  me  that  the  Lord  has  a  chosen  people.  I  have  not  since  our  con- 
versation, had  occasion  to  change  my  opinion,  but  [to]  all  men,  plain 
and  clear,  salvation  is  all  of  the  free  distinguishing  grace  of  God, 
for  by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves. 
It  is  the  gift  of  God,  not  of  works,  lest  any  man  should  boast;  Eph. 
11,  8,  9. 

"I  am  now  very  low ;  I  never  expect  to  see  you  again  in  this  world. 
I  was  taken  the  Sabbath  eve  after  I  saw  you,  and  have  been  confined 
to  bed  ever  since. 

"Now  that  I  am  about  to  enter  upon  the  realities  of  an  eternal 
world,  I  know  that  I  have  not  believed  in  cunningly  devised  fables, 
but  I  hope  I  have  built  upon  the  Rock  of  Ages.  I  feel  that  I  am  the 
chief  of  sinners,  and  Christ  came  to  save  such ;  and  I  trust  He  will 
save  me  from  my  sins,  and  wash  me,  and  cleanse  me  in  his  blood. 
I  trust  I  shall  be  justified  by  what  He  has  done  and  suffered  in  the 
days  of  his  Hesh  when  he  did  hang  upon  the  tree,  from  all  things, 
from  which  I  could  not  be  justified  by  the  Law  of  Moses,  even  the 
righteousness  of  God,  which  is  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  unto  all,  and 
upon  all  them  that  believe;  Rom.  iii,  22. 


MISSIONARY  WORK 


323 


"When  I  spoke  to  you  of  justification  by  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  I  did  not  mean  that  we  might  live  an  unholy  life ;  nor  that 
we  are  justified  by  it  in  the  eyes  of  men.  Good  works  are  evidences 
to  them  of  our  justification.  But  in  the  eyes  of  a  pure  and  holy  God, 
no  righteousness  will  cover  us  but  the  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ. 

"Give  my  love,  my  kindest  and  best  remembrances  to  Brother  John 
Greene,  Brother  Joel  Greene,  Sister  Greene,  Brother  Gillette,  Sister 
Campbell,  Brother  John  Davis,  and  Brother  John  Bright  of  New 
Jersey ;  and  all  the  brethren  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sin- 
cerity. I  trust  and  hope  we  shall  soon  meet  in  that  blessed  world, 
where  we  shall  no  more  sin  nor  sorrow,  and  where  all  tears  shall  be 
wiped  from  our  eyes. 

"Beloved,  now  are  we  the  sons  of  God,  and  it  doth  not  yet  appear 
what  we  shall  be ;  but  we  know  that  when  He  shall  appear,  we  shall 
be  like  him,  for  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is;  I  John  iii,  2.  O,  blessed 
state  which  I  long  to  enjoy.  I  should  love  to  see  you  all  in  the 
flesh,  but  it  is  far  better  to  depart  and  be  with  Christ. 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  that  so  many  young  men  of  our  connection  are 
inspired  with  the  missionary  spirit.  I  hope  they  will  not  be  led  away 
into  what  are  called  new  measures  (though  many  of  them  are  old 
extravagant  ones).  I  hope  that  none  will  go  so  far  as  to  whip 
children  to  make  them  submit  to  God.  But  I  am  persuaded  better 
things  of  you,  my  dear  brethren. 

"Though  I  thus  speak,  we  should  be  careful  not  to  be  cold,  nor 
too  hot.     I  pray  the  Lord  to  guide  you  in  a  right  medium  [sic]. 

"6th  Day,  21st.  I  will  stop  where  you  said  you  did : —  That  none 
but  the  regenerate  are  saved,  and  the  unregenerate,  or  unbelievers, 
perish,  because  they  will  not  believe.  But  we  know  that  they  must  be 
born  again.     I  will  go  no  further  than  this. 

"I  must  bid  you  all  adieu,  my  dear  brethren ;  I  hope  to  meet  you 
in  that  heavenly  rest,  there  to  sing  praises,  to  all  eternity,  to  the  Lamb 
that  was  slain  for  sinners. 

"From  your  unworthy  sister    (I  trust  in  Christ). 

"Nancy  Nicholson." 

"To  Eld.  A.  Campbell." 

Owing  to  want  of  time,  Alexander  Campbell  was  obliged 
to  hasten  away  to  Virginia,  before  he  had  really  completed 
the  work  that  he  had  so  well  begun  here.  He  says,  "I  am 
somewhat  of  the  opinion  that  if  I  could  have  staid  three  months 
in  the  place,  we  might  have  had  a  flourishing  church  in  Wood- 
bridgetown  at  this  time"   (1880). 

From  Woodbridgetown,  he  proceeded  to  Abel  Bond's,  at 
Quiet  Dell.  He  at  once  began  active  labours  with  the  Lost 
Creek  Church,  which  he  found  in  a  state  of  discouragement. 
Here  he  introduced  with  great  success,  the  ''conference  meet- 


324 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


ings,"  which  have  been  so  widely  known  among  the  Virginia 
churches  ever  since. 

After  about  seven  wrecks  of  unceasing  activity  at  Lost 
Creek,  he  went  to  Greenbrier,  where  the  New  Salem  Church 
had  one  of  its  meeting  houses,  and  where  the  pastor  of  the 
church,  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  lived.  He  arrived  there  late  in 
the  afternoon  of  the  Sixth  Day  of  the  week,  and  on  the 
following  day,  began  a  series  of  meetings  on  Greenbrier  Run. 

While  on  this  visit,  he  made  a  trip  to  Ohio,  going 
as  far  as  Woodsfield,  the  county  seat  of  Monroe  County. 
On  this  trip  he  preached  five  times. 

After  his  return  from  Ohio,  he  spent  some  time  again  on 
Greenbrier  Run  and  at  New  Salem,  after  which  he  proceeded  to 
Lost  Creek.  Early  in  March,  he  left  the  home  of  Abel  Bond 
on  his  homeward  journey,  accompanied  for  several  miles  by 
Abel  Bond  and  others.     He  reached  home  early  in  April. 

In  a  short  time  he  received  notice  from  the  Mis- 
sionary Board  of  another  appointment  to  the  \'ir- 
ginia  field,  and  requesting  that  he  proceed  to  the  field  at  his 
early  convenience.  He  reached  Abel  Bond's  about  the  first  of 
July,  1833,  four  months  after  he  had  started  for  home  from 
his  first  visit.  Abel  Bond  had  built  a  house  in  his  own  door 
yard  for  the  missionary,  who  on  this  visit  was  accompanied  by 
his  wife  and  a  five-year-old  son.  His  second  coming  was 
received  with  great  joy,  and  he  was  given  a  princely  reception 
by  the  Virginia  people.  He  remained  until  the  late  autumn, 
labouring  with  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  and 
going  in  all  directions  to  preach  wherever  the  numerous  calls 
led  him. 

During  one  of  these  visits  to  Virginia,  he  went 
to  visit  Lewis  Bond,  who  lived  on  the  North  Fork 
of  Hughes  River,  not  far  from  the  present  village  of 
Pennsboro.  Here  he  held  some  meetings,  and  organised  the 
North  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church,  of  seven  members,  com- 
posed of  Lewis  Bond  and  his  family,  and  possibly  two  or  three 
converts  to  the  Sabbath.  Here  also  occurred  a  debate  on  the 
question  of  the  day  of  the  Sabbath,  between  Alexander  Camp- 
bell and  a  clergyman  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Tich- 
nell  by  name.     As  the  outcome  of  this  debate,  two  families  by 


IfX.     ALKXANOKR     CAMIMSELL. 
KK\'.    WAl/IER    1!.    CILLETTE. 


REV.     STILLMAN     COON. 
REV.    CHARLES    M.    LEWIS. 


MISSIONARY  WORK 


325 


the  name  of  Lowther  and  Starkey  embraced  the  Sabbath,  and 
were  organised  into  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church. 

Many  of  the  meetings  conducted  by  Alexander  Campbell 
during  the  summer  of  1834,  were  held  in  groves,  the  meeting 
houses  being  too  small  to  accommodate  the  crowds  which 
attended.  Some  of  these  meetings  continuing  several  days, 
took  on  something  of  the  character  of  the  camp  meetings  of 
that  time. 

One  of  these  meetings  was  held  in  a  grove  on  Meat  House 
Fork  at  the  mouth  of  Wolf  Pen  Run,  almost  upon  the  very 
spot  where  once  stood  the  famous  "Meat  House,"  built  by  the 
early  hunters  in  which  to  store  their  game,  and  from  which  the 
Meat  House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek  took  its  name.  Here 
came  people  from  all  the  surrounding  country,  as  far  away  as 
Greenbrier,  New  Salem,  Lewisport,  and  other  places.  The 
people  came  in  rough,  heavy  farm  wagons,  prepared  to  remain 
several  days,  many  of  them  sleeping  in  wagons,  or  other 
hastily  improvised  resting  places.  A  single  house  near  by 
accommodated  the  evangelist  and  his  family,  besides  several  of 
the  women  in  attendance  upon  the  meetings.  The  meetings 
were  held  in  a  grove  of  hard  maples  and  white  oaks,  with  logs 
and  split  slabs  for  seats. 

In  these  meetings.  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell  knew  neither 
Jew  nor  Gentile,  Pharisee  nor  Sadducee,  Arminian  nor  Calvin- 
ist, — only  saints  and  sinners.  Methodists,  First  Day  Baptists, 
all  were  welcome  alike.  The  religion  which  he  preached  was 
for  all  mankind.  His  tall,  gaunt  physique  was  strikingly 
commanding,  and  his  strong  penetrating  voice,  which  carried 
far  out  into  the  grove  to  the  furthermost  part  of  his  congrega- 
tion, and  a  sharp  piercing  eye,  gave  him  a  personality  well 
designed  to  inspire  terror  in  the  heart  of  the  most  heardened 
sinner,  forcibly  reminding  him  of  the  Judgment  and  the  wrath 
to  come.  He  was  a  veritable  John  the  Baptist  crying  out  in 
the  wilderness  "Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away 
the  sin  of  the  world."  And  he  cried  not  without  effect,  for 
men  and  women  came  in  troops,  with  tears  and  groans,  crying 
aloud  for  mercy. 

In  the  late  fall,  he  again  bade  Virginia  farewell,  and 
returned  to  his  home  in  DeRuyter,  New  York.  But  his  works 
he  left  behind  him,  and  half  a  century  afterward,    when    he 


326      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

returned  to  the  field  of  his  former  labours,  for  a  short  visit  as 
a  delegate  to  the  South-Eastern  Association,  the  memory  of 
him  and  his  mission  of  years  long  gone  by  revived  with  an 
irresistible  power,  and  profoundly  impressed  those  of  his 
former  acquaintances  who  yet  remained,  as  well  as  their  chil- 
dren, and  the  children  of  the  multitudes  of  his  friends  passed 
away,  but  who  had  left  their  oft-repeated  story  of  the  marvel- 
lous w^ork  of  this  venerable  missionary  behind,  as  a  sacred 
heritage  to  those  who  should  come  after  them.^ 

The  executive  committee  of  the  Missionary  Society,  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  the  society,  held  with  the  church  at 
DeRuyter,  New  York,  in  September,  1834,  reported  that  Rev. 
Alexander  Campbell  had  finished  his  labours  on  the  Virginia 
field,  and  recommended  that  a  missionary  be  stationed  at  Lost 
Creek  for  the  following  year.  The  report  of  the  committee 
was  adopted.  The  executive  committee  secured  the  services 
of  Rev.  Stillman  Coon,  of  Independence,  New  York,  to  visit 
the  Virginia  field.  At  the  next  annual  session  of  the  society, 
he  reported  that  he  had  been  engaged  in  missionary  work  six 
months  and  four  days,  during  the  preceding  year.  The  most, 
if  not  all,  of  this  time  was  undoubtedly  spent  in  Virginia.  One 
of  the  most  important  features  of  his  work  on  this  mission  was 
the  assistance  he  rendered  Rev.  Joel  Greene,  who  had  been 
sent  to  Virginia  by  the  General  Conference,  in  order,  if  possible, 
to  bring  about  an  amicable  settlement  of  certain  difficulties  that 
existed  in  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  to  look  into  the  circum- 
tances  attending  the  organisation  of  the  2d  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Church  of  Lost  Creek,  and  the  regularity  of  the 
ordination  of  William  Williams  of  that  church  to  the  Gospel 
ministry. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Missionary  Society  held  with 
the  church  at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island,  in  September,  1835, 
the  executive  committee  w'as  instructed  to  obtain  the  services 
of  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  for  the  Virginia  field.  For  several 
years  past,  Lewis  A.  Davis  had  been  employed  by  the  society 
as  a  missionary  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  had  rendered  satis- 
factory service  there.  He  declined  the  appointment  to  the 
Virginia  field,  however,  and  the  executive  committee  employed 
Rev.  John  Davis  of  the  New  Salem  Church  to  perform  what 

1.     Of.  Autobiography  of  Rev.  Alexander  Campbell,  pp.  37-62  et  261-270. 


MISSIONARY  WORK  327 

labour  he  could  in  the  short  time  given  him  after  the  receipt 
of  his  notification. 

During  the  next  three  years,  Rev.  Joel  Greene  appears  to 
have  been  upon  the  Virginia  field,  more  or  less  of  the  time.  In 
1839,  he  assisted  in  organising  the  South-Western  Association 
at  Lost  Creek,  and  was  one  of  the  delegates  from  that  associa- 
tion to  the  General  Conference,  at  its  annual  session  at 
Brookfield,  New  York,  in  September,  1839. 

Late  in  the  summer  or  early  in  the  fall  of  1839,  James  Bai- 
ley, then  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-six  years  of  age,  made  a 
journey  from  his  home  in  New  York  State  to  Virginia  for  his 
health.  On  his  way  thither,  he  was  ordained  at  Scott,  New 
York,  at  the  request  of  the  Missionary  Society.  He  remained 
in  Virginia  for  about  a  year,  and  did  considerable  missionary 
work  during  his  stay. 

From  about  this  time  forward  for  many  years,  the  Mis- 
sionary Society  apparently  took  but  little  interest  in  the  Vir- 
ginia field. 

The  report  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Missionary 
Association,  submitted  to  the  association  at  its  annual  session 
held  with  the  church  at  Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  in  May,  1845, 
shows  that  at  some  time  during  the  preceding  year.  Rev.  Azor 
Estee  had  made  a  short  visit  to  the  Virginia  field,  and  that 
during  the  year  just  closing,  Richard  C.  Bond  had  held  an 
"itinerancy"  upon  this  field. 

About  the  year  1849,  Rev.  Azor  Estee  returned  to  Vir- 
ginia at  the  solicitation  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek 
churches  to  become  the  pastor  of  the  two  churches  jointly. 
But  in  the  end  he  gave  the  most  of  his  time  and  energy  to  the 
promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  West  Union  Academy,  until 
his  return  to  his  home  at  Petersburgh,  New  York. 

About  the  year  1858,  Rev.  David  Clawson  came  to  this 
field,  but  was  little  more  than  settled  as  the  pastor  of  the  Lost 
Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  and  fairly  started  in  his  work, 
when  he  was  removed  by  the  hand  of  death. 

In  1856,  an  acrimonious  discussion  was  precipitated  in  the 
Eastern  Association,  by  the  application  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  for  membership  in  the  association.  This  lasted  over 
a  period  of  several  years,  and  in  the  end,  together  with  the 
events  of  the  Civil  War,  created  an  alienation  on  the  part  of 


328      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

the  Virginia  churches  from  the  rest  of  the  denomination,  that 
lasted  for  many  years. 

In  1866,  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  made  a  visit  to  the 
churches  of  West  Virginia,  under  the  auspices  of  the 
"American  Missionary  Association." 

In  April,  1870,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  he 
made  another  trip  to  West  Virginia,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Missionary  Board,  or  Board  of  Managers  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  remaining  upon 
the  field  for  a  period  of  six  months.  During  this  summer,  he 
visited  generally  within  the  bounds  of  the  churches,  which 
were  situated  in  Harrison,  Doddridge,  and  Ritchie  counties, 
besides  visiting  a  number  of  lone  Sabbath-keepers  in  Upshur 
and  Gilmer  counties.  He  assisted  in  the  organisation  of  the 
Ritchie  and  Greenbrier  churches,  and  the  ordination  of  Lewis 
F.  Randolph,  a  licentiate  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  to  the 
Gospel  ministry. 

It  had  been  hoped  that  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette  would  be 
sufficiently  well  pleased  with  the  outlook  for  work  in  West 
\lrginia,  to  be  willing  to  remain  there  permanently,  as  Messrs. 
C.  Potter,  Jr.  &  Co.  (a  firm  composed  of  Charles  Potter,  Jr. 
and  J.  Frank  Hubbard,  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  printing 
presses),  of  Plainfield,  New  Jersey,  had  offered  to  contribute 
the  sum  of  six  hundred  dollars  ($600.00)  a  year,  toward  sus- 
taining a  missionary  on  this  field.  But  he  felt  that  he  was 
physically  unable  to  stand  the  strain  of  the  labour  involved, 
and  decided  to  relinquish  the  work. 

Accordingly,  in  October,  1870,  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick, 
who  had  previously  accepted  a  call  from  the  Missionary  Board 
to  go  to  West  Virginia,  arrived  upon  the  field,  and  at  once 
entered  upon  active  work.  He  purchased  a  home  and  soon  set- 
tled down  to  a  firm  steady  tread,  and  in  less  than  a  year,  the  ini- 
tial steps  had  been  taken  for  the  organisation  of  an  association 
of  the  churches  in  that  state.  He  devoted  himself  largely  to  the 
fundamental  interests  of  the  field  with  a  view  to  obtaininsf 
permanency  of  results.  He  strove  to  bring  about  improved 
methods  of  church  order  and  business,  to  improve  the  quality 
of  church  music,  and  to  establish  a  higher  standard  for 
the  Sabbath  Schools.  He  closed  his  labours  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Missionary  Board  on  the  20th  of  November, 


REV.   CHARLES  A.    ISUROICK. 


MISSIONARY  WORK  329 

1874,  and  devoted  himself  to  a  strong  personal  effort  to  meet 
the  needs  prevalent  in  the  association  for  higher  education. 

During  the  four  years  that  he  was  in  the  service  of  the 
Missionary  Board,  Charles  A.  Burdick  had  assisted  in  the  suc- 
cessful organisation  of  the  South-Eastern  iVssociation,  and  the 
organisation  of  the  West  Fork  (now  Roanoke)  Church.  The 
business  methods  of  the  churches  of  the  association  had  been 
greatly  developed ;  the  interest  in  Sabbath  Schools,  as  well  as 
their  efficiency,  greatly  increased ;  and  the  value  of  the 
church,  as  an  organisation,  magnified.  The  Lost  Creek 
Church  had  completed  an  excellent,  new  house  of  worship. 
The  interest  in  higher  education  had  grown,  and 
through  his  influence,  several  young  people  from  the  associa- 
tion had  gone  to  Alfred  University.  The  field  was  now  ripe 
for  an  advance  step  in  higher  education,  and  it  was  to 
that  work  that  he  addressed  himself  when  he  severed  his 
connection  with  the  Missionary  Board.  An  account  of  his 
efforts  in  this  direction  will  be  found  in  the  subsequent  chapter 
of  this  book  on  the  West  Union  Academy. 

During  his  connection  with  the  Missionary  Board,  while 
he  was  on  the  West  Virginia  field,  Charles  A.  Burdick  received 
from  the  Board  for  salary  and  expenses,  the  sum  of  three 
thousand  two  hundred  and  seventy-eight  dollars  and  eighty- 
two  cents  ($3,278.82).  For  other  objects,  the  Missionary 
Board  contributed  to  the  West  Virginia  field,  during  this 
period,  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  dollars  ($175.00).  The 
Missionary  Board  received  from  the  West  Virginia  field 
during  this  same  period,  the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
nine  dollars  and  sixty-three  cents  ($279.63). 

In  response  to  a  call  from  the  Missionary  Board,  Rev. 
Charles  M.  Lewis  visited  the  West  Virginia  field  for  mis- 
sionary work,  beginning  about  the  ist  of  March,  1875.  He 
remained  in  West  Virginia  until  about  the  20th  of  May 
following. 

He  visited  this  field  again,  beginning  work  on  the  29th  of 
October,  1875, and  closing  April  20,  1876.  Since  his  second  visit 
the  Missionary  Board  has,  upon  different  occasions,  sent  evan- 
gelists into  West  Virginia  for  work.  In  the  spring  of  1896,  Rev. 
Edward  B.  Saunders  made  his  first  visit  to  West  Virginia  as 
an  evangelist.     The  second  was  made  in  September,  1897,  and 


330       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

the  third  in  the  summer  of  1899.  I"  the  spring,  summer,  and 
fall  of  1901,  Rev.  Judson  G.  Burdick  spent  about  eight  months 
in  evangelistic  work  upon  this  field. 

For  many  years  past  the  Missionary  Board  has  wisely 
done  all  it  could  to  encourage  individual  churches  to  employ 
pastors,  sometimes  a  group  of  two  or  three  churches  employ- 
ing one  pastor  jointly.  To  this  end  the  Missionary  Board  has 
contributed  liberally.  In  fact  the  Lost  Creek  Church  is  the  only 
existing  church  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  which  has 
not  received  assistance  in  this  way. 

The  pastors,  missionary  and  others,  of  West  Virginia 
have  done  a  great  deal  of  evangelistic  work  during  the  past 
quarter  of  a  century.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  who  has  served 
several  of  the  churches  as  a  missionary  pastor,  has  also  done  a 
great  deal  of  general  missionary'  work,  but  his  personal 
relationship  with  all  the  churches  in  this  association,  has 
long  been  such  that  his  missionary  work  has  been,  after  all, 
pastoral  work  of  the  best  sort. 


i-«V-«¥«M-««-«lfa¥a¥«¥«¥a¥»¥«¥':j¥«VaVKV«¥'«¥«¥R¥'«¥«¥i 
K¥H-¥H»«yH»«*a¥K¥«¥«¥H¥H¥KlfnW«¥s:¥»¥»¥a¥s¥«¥H¥^l 
ilH¥H¥H¥«¥-KW'«¥K¥s¥l¥«WK¥K¥a*H¥K¥«««¥a¥J*¥a¥S¥iK 
|||¥*¥*¥a¥a¥l¥S¥a<«¥«¥«¥a¥£¥«¥«¥a¥«¥«¥La,¥:«¥fi¥&^ 


XXIII. 


SABBATH   REFORM. 

|fW¥!!Hi¥'K!¥'Ki¥iKirK¥!H'¥Si¥Ki\BBATH    reform    in    western    Vir- 

p¥a¥K¥K¥'H¥«¥K¥H¥«¥  .   ,  . 

¥K¥KV«¥H¥«»fa¥«*'«¥Ki  p-inia  received  its  gfreatest  impetus 

[H¥.K,¥a¥a¥&¥a¥a¥«:V.KV  *=  .  ,     *  ,,  , 

W^mm  Jfl'Si  at    the    time   of    Rev.    Alexander 

f¥i»lS  [a,¥'^«:¥  .     . 

SWm         •->-         W^'^'B  Campbell  s  missionarv  tours  among 

?i^^         ^^  V^¥5    the    churches    there.      As     related 

gj¥a¥         i^^         5¥h¥  .     , 

¥^1         k^         ^S^^    elsewhere,  the  organisation   of   the 

lKj¥iSj¥  jK¥'a¥  '  ° 

fill  ^^$     South     Fork     of     Hughes     River 

fe!l*IIililiSI?¥?¥  Church  was  due  to  a  debate  upon 
Slll¥l¥l¥M¥M¥     the  Sabbath  question,  between  Rev. 

Alexander  Campbell  and  a  local 
Methodist  Episcopal  clergyman.  As  a  result  of  the  debate, 
there  were  several  converts  to  the  Sabbath,  who  were  the 
constituent  members  of  that  church. 

Although  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  Church  ceased 
to  exist  as  a  church  at  the  time  it  was  merged  into  the  Ritchie 
Church,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  many  other  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  churches  have  received  accessions  to  their  mem- 
bership, respectively,  from  the  group  of  converts  to  the  Sab- 
bath, of  whom  the  church  was  originally  composed. 

In  the  winter  of  i868.  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis, 
travelling  agent  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society, 
visited  West  Virginia.  He  reached  Lost  Creek  on  the  20th  of 
February.  After  assisting  for  a  week  in  a  revival  meeting 
which  he  found  in  progress  there,  he  went  to  the  South  Fork 
of  Hughes  River,  where  he  remained  another  week.  He  then 
returned  to  Lost  Creek,  by  way  of  New  Milton,  where  he 
stopped  four  days,  reaching  Lost  Creek  on  the  loth  of  March. 
Here  he  remained  a  few  days,  and  on  the  i6th  proceeded  to 
Clarksburg,  where  he  lectured  on  the  Sabbath  question  for  three 
evenings   in   the   county   court   house.       He    then     returned 


332       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

to  Lost  Creek,  and  on  the  20th  went  to  New  Salem,  where 
he  remained  until  the  23d,  when  he  went  to  West  Union,  and 
he  lectured  upon  the  Sabbath  in  the  county  court  house,  of 
Doddridge  County,  on  the  evenings  of  the  23d  and  24th.  On 
the  25th  of  March,  he  left  for  home.  During  the  whole  of  this 
visit,  he  was  engaged  in  preaching  or  lecturing,  speaking  often 
upon  the  Sabbath  question.  At  other  times,  he  spoke  upon 
temperance,  always  upon  some  theme  of  general  interest.  He 
scattered  Sabbath  literature  freely  wherever  he  went. 

This  visit  was  highly  appreciated  by  the  West  Virginia 
people.  The  Lost  Creek  Church  took  action,  March  13,  1868, 
as  follows :  — 

"Whereas,  The  labours  of  the  Lecturing  Agent  of  the  American 
Sabbath  Tract  Society,  A.  H.  Lewis,  are  thus  far  highly  appreciated 
by  us ;  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  return  thanks  to  Almighty  God,  and  to 
the  Society  under  Him,  for  sending  Bro.  Lewis  among  us,  and  that 
we  will  try,  as  far  as  God  may  give  the  ability,  to  contribute  to  the 
aid  of  the  Society,  and  that  a  copy  of  this  resolution  be  forwarded 
by  our  clerk  to  said  Society." 

In  May  following,  a  petition  was  drawn  up.  signed  by 
nearly  thirty  of  the  more  prominent  members  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church,  and  forwarded  to  the  American  Sabbath  Tract 
Society,  praying  that  it  return  the  agent  to  that  field.  The 
report  of  the  corresponding  secretary  of  the  society  for  that 
year,  shows  that  this  petition  "represented  that  there  was 
pressing  need  of  more  labour  in  that  section,  that  the  prospect 
for  good  results  were  never  brighter,  that  two  persons  had 
embraced  the  Sabbath  since  the  agent  left,  and  many  others 
were  halting  between  two  opinions,  and  that  the  subject  was 
being  agitated  outside  our  own  people,  and  that  this  had  been 
brought  about  by  the  labours  of  Eld.  Lewis  when  there." 

Accordingly,  Rev.  Abram  Herbert  Lewis  returned  to 
West  Virginia,  arriving  at  Lost  Creek  on  the  loth  of  July.  He 
remained  upon  this  field  until  the  ist  of  September.  During 
this  time,  he  conducted  forty-four  public  services,  and  dis- 
tributed about  seventy-five  thousand  pages  of  Sabbath  tracts. 

Of  this  second  visit,  in  his  report  to  the  Executive  Board 

of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Society,  he  wrote  as  follows : — 

"It  seemed  best  to  revisit,  as  far  as  possible,  these  points  previously 

visited,  and  as  many  new  ones  as  could  be  reached.     The  churches  at 


KEV. 


KWIS.    D.l). 


SABBATH   REFORM 


333 


Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  are  each  surrounded  by  a  set  of  outposts, 
from  five  to  thirty  miles  distant  from  the  central  points,  where  the 
houses  of  worship  are  situated.  In  a  few  instances,  these  posts  are 
held  by  a  single  family ;  at  other  points  there  are  enough  Sabbath- 
keepers  to  allow  of  occasional  Sabbath  services.  Our  people  at  these 
points  are  firm  Sabbath-keepers,  and  hold  influential  positions  in  social 
and  business  relations;  hence  the  First  Day  people  are  easily  induced 
to  attend  any  religious  services  held  under  the  patronage  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptists.  The  presence  of  our  people  and  the  tracts, 
which  are  always  eagerly  taken,  keep  the  interest  alive,  and  nourish 
the  truth  when  the  public  meetings  are  over.  The  Sabbath-keepers, 
who  are  thus  isolated,  are  also  much  strengthened  and  encouraged  by 
such  labours.  In  each  place  (with  a  single  exception)  I  preached  at 
least  twice;  usually  three  to  five  times.  In  this  way,  eight  new  fields 
were  visited,  and  six  others  revisited." 

Toward  the  expences  of  this  work  during  the  year,  the 
West  Virginia  churches  contributed  three  hundred  and  thirty- 
seven  dollars,  and  thirteen  cents  ($337.13). 

In  the  spring  of  1873,  Rev.  James  Bailey  spent  about  two 
months  in  West  Virginia  just  preceding  the  annual  session  of 
the  South-Eastern  Association,  in  the  interest  of  Sabbath 
reform,  under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Sabbath  Tract 
Society.  He  lectured  twelve  times  upon  the  Sabbath  question, 
besides  preaching  several  times.  He  was  assisted  by  Rev. 
Samuel  D.  Davis  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 

He  was  admirably  equipped  for  such  work  in  this  par- 
ticular field,  for  a  year's  residence  in  western  Virginia  when  a 
young  man,  had  given  him  a  personal  acquaintance  with  the 
people  there  that  was  of  great  value  to  him  now. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  annual  meeting  of  the  South- 
Eastern  Association  with  the  Middle  Island  Church,  at  New 
Milton,  in  1872,  there  was  considerable  interest  manifested  in 
the  Sabbath  question,  and  arrangements  were  made  for  Rev. 
George  E.  Tomlinson,  who  was  present  as  the  delegate  from 
the  Eastern  Association,  to  speak  upon  that  subject  at  the 
school  house  on  Hunter's  Fork  of  Buckeye  Creek,  where  a 
large,  appreciative  audience  composed  almost  wholly  of  non- 
Sabbath-keepers  greeted  him. 

Beginning  in  the  latter  part  of  August,  1890,  Rev.  J. 
Bennett  Clarke,  then  in  the  service  of  the  American  Sabbath 
Tract  Society,  spent  some  time  in  West  Virginia,  in  the  interest 
of  the  work  in  which  the  Society  was  at  that  time  engaged. 


334       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

He  was  not  promoting  SaSBath  reform  by  lecturing  and  dis- 
tributing tracts  among  non-Sabbath-keepers,  so  much  as  he 
was  striving  to  arouse  in  Seventh  Day  Baptists  an  interest  in 
Sabbath  reform  to  such  an  extent  that  they  would  support 
adequately  the  aggressive  work  in  which  the  society  was 
engaged. 

If  the  work  done  in  Sabbath  reform  in  western  Virginia 
seems  meagre  as  to  efforts  as  well  as  results,  it  is  because  other 
phases  of  denominational  work  have  been  accentuated  out  of 
proportion,  rather  than  that  Sabbath  reform  has  been  neglected 
or  ignored. 

The  emphasis  placed  upon  evangelistic  labour  and  the 
magnitude  of  its  results  have  always  carried  with  them  the 
idea  of  Sabbath  reform  as  well,  and  the  inequality  of  results 
is  due  there,  as  elsewhere,  to  problems  inherent  in  the  sub- 
ject of  Sabbath  reform,  not  found  in  evangelistic  work,  pure 
and  simple. 


XXIV. 
SABBATH    SCHOOLS. 

SiHlg5,^2ROBABLY  the  first  of  the  churches 
to  begin  Sabbath  School  work,  was 
that  of  the  South  Fork  of  Hughes 
River  Church,  afterward  popularly 
known  as  the  Pine  Grove  Church. 
Comparatively  early  in  its  history, 
it  organised  a  Sabbath  School  for 
the  study  of  special  topics  of  the 
Bible.  This  was  probably  as  early 
as  1842. 

Sabbath  Schools  did  not  become  very  general,  however, 
until  the  latter  part  of  the  '6o's.  Preston  F.  Randolph  was  the 
most  active  of  the  pioneer  workers  in  the  Sabbath  School 
movement  in  West  Virginia.  In  connection  with  his  work  of 
teaching  private  "select"  schools,  after  his  return  from  Alfred 
University,  he  organised  and  conducted  Sabbath  Schools,  and 
at  the  same  time,  he  did  much  to  introduce  music  into  the 
Sabbath  School  as  well  as  church  services. 

When  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick  came  upon  that  field  as  a 
missionary,  he  strongly  seconded  the  efforts  already  making 
for  better  Sabbath  Schools.  He  instituted  a  number  of  classes 
in  normal  methods  for  Sabbath  Schools,  and  organised 
Sabbath  School  teachers'  meetings. 

Soon  after  his  arrival,  two  or  three  Sabbath  School  insti- 
tutes were  held  at  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek,  a  part  of  which, 
at  least,  were  attended  by  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts,  and  Deacon  Isaac 
D.  Titsworth,  both  of  the  Piscataway  Church  in  New  Jersey, 
and  both  of  whom  were  experienced  workers  in  the  Sabbath 
School. 

Sabbath  School  institutes  were  conducted  by  a  committee 


336       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  until  a  very  recent  date. 
Rev.  Lucius  R.  Swinney,  the  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
for  several  years,  and  Dudley  H.  Davis,  of  Quiet  Dell,  were 
two  spirited  Sabbath  School  workers,  and  contributed  gen- 
erously of  valuable  time  to  the  success  of  the  institutes  thus 
held,  in  various  parts  of  the  association. 

Except  in  a  very  few  instances,  the  churches  have  exer- 
cised little  direct  control  over  their  respective  Sabbath  Schools, 
from  the  time  of  their  organisation,  originally,  down  to  the 
present  time.  The  latter  have  been,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, wholly  independent  organisations  within  the  former; 
but  the  churches  have  fostered  the  Sabbath  Schools  as  the 
surest  and  most  natural  means  of  promoting  the  growth  of 
the  church. 

The  South  Fork  of  Hughes  River  (Pine  Grove)  Church, 
doubtless,  was  an  exception  to  the  general  rule.  For  although 
its  records  contain  very  little  about  its  Sabbath  School,  it  is 
equally  true  that,  in  order  to  maintain  the  greatest  possible 
degree  of  secrecy  concerning  the  business  affairs  of  the  church, 
much,  even,  of  its  more  important  proceedings  was  never 
recorded.  Moreover,  the  close  supervision  it  exercised,  not 
only  over  all  its  church  affairs,  but  over  its  individual  members 
as  well,  is  convincing  evidence  of  its  direct  government  of  its 
Sabbath  School. 

Authentic  records  of  Sabbath  School  work  in  West  Vir- 
ginia are  defective  and  unsatisfactory  in  the  extreme.  The 
following  brief  sketches  about  several  of  the  schools  have  been 
compiled  partly  from  records,  but  for  the  most  part,  from  the 
statements  of  older  members  of  their  respective  Sabbath 
Schools,  and  while  trustworthy  in  the  main,  they  doubtless 
contain  errors  of  detail.     They  are  as  follows: — 

NEW  SALEM. 

In  the  year  1868,  a  class  of  children  was  organised  at  New 
Salem,  by  Preston  F.  Randolph,  for  the  study  of  the  Bible. 
Among  the  few  adults  who  were  in  regular  attendance  were, 
Phineas  F.  Randolph,  and  his  wife,  Marvel,  who  came  with 
their  grand  daughter,  Columbia  Jeffrey ;  Fenton  F.  Randolph, 
and  Emily,  his  wife;  Phineas  Chapin  F.  Randolph,  and  Mar- 
garet, his  wife;  Lloyd  F.  Randolph;  and  Mary  Davis,  the 
(21) 


SABBATH   SCHOOLS  337 

widow  of  Silas  C.  Davis.  These  parents  came  because  of  their 
interest  in  their  children,  who  together  with  Walton  and  Belle, 
children  of  Daniel  and  Nancy  F.  Randolph ;  and  Lafayette 
Sutton,  made  up  the  class  of  children. 

Preston  F.  Randolph  served  as  superintendent  for  the 
most  of  the  time,  when  his  duties  as  a  teacher  of  public  and 
select  schools  did  not  call  him  away  from  New  Salem,  till 
about  the  year  1890.  During  such  absences,  Jesse  F.  Ran- 
dolph, Terence  M.  Davis,  and  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  took  the 
place  of  the  superintendent. 

Since  1890,  the  following  have  served  as  superintend- 
ents:—  Cora  F.  Randolph  Ogden,,  Ernest  F.  Randolph, 
Flavins  J.  Ehret,  M.  Wardner  Davis,  Cortez  R.  Clawson, 
Moses  H.  VanHorn,  Stillman  F.  Lowther,  Dora  Gardiner, 
Beatrice  Lowther,  and  Samuel  B.  Bond. 

The  original  class  was  composed  of  about  fifteen  members. 
The  present  enrollment  numbers  nearly  one  hundred. 

LONG  RUN. 

About  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Sabbath  School 
at  New  Salem,  a  similar  school  was  organised  by  Preston  F, 
Randolph  at  the  home  of  Richard  Ford  on  Long  Run,  for  the 
benefit  of  a  group  of  members  of  the  New  Salem  Church  who 
lived  in  that  locality,  among  whom,  besides  that  of  Richard 
Ford,  were  the  families  of  the  following: —  Milton  S.  Davis, 
Nathan  J.  Davis,  and  Cornelius  S.Davis.  After  a  few  years,  the 
interests  here  languished,  and  such  as  finally  survived,  were 
transferred  to  other  fields. 

BUCKEYE   RUN. 

At  a  somewhat  later  date,  a  Sabbath  School  was  organised 
on  Buckeye  Run,  where  another  group  of  members  of  the  New 
Salem  Church  lived.  This  finally  absorbed  the  surviving 
interest  in  the  Sabbath  School  on  Long  Run. 

In  the  earlier  days,  the  leading  spirits  in  the  Sabbath 
School  on  Buckeye  Run,  were  the  families  of  the  following : — 
Lodowick  H.  Davis,  William  B.  Davis,  James  Ford,  and 
George  Ford.  A  library  was  procured  for  the  Sabbath 
School  through  the  influence  of  Rev.  Walter  B.  Gillette,  which 
a  few  years  afterward,  when  the  Sabbath  School  on  Buckeye 


338       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Run  had  been  out  of  existence  for  several  years,  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Middle  Island  Sabbath  School,  through  the 
influence  of  Thomas  Edgar  Davis,  a  former  pupil  of  the 
Buckeye  Sabbath  School,  which  was  sometimes  known  as  the 
''Grant  Sabbath  School." 

After  a  few  years,  however,  the  Sabbath  School  was  again 
revived  with  Stillman  F.  Lowther  as  its  superintendent,  and  it 
has  been  maintained  to  the  present  time. 

LOST  CREEK. 

On  the  occasion  of  one  of  the  visits  of  Rev.  Abram  Her- 
bert Lewis  to  West  Virginia,  probably  in  1868,  he  organised  a 
Sabbath  School  at  Lost  Creek,  which  after  his  departure,  was 
left  under  the  leadership  of  Moses  H.  Davis  as  superintendent. 

Among  others  who  have  served  as  superintendent,  were 
Albert  R.  Jones,  Charles  N.  Maxson,  Luther  A.  Bond,  and 
Marcellus  Berkeley  Davis. 

Among  the  leading  spirits  in  the  early  history  of  the 
Sabbath  School,  were  William  Kennedy,  Eli  Bond,  Levi  Bond, 
Jesse  Davis,  Joshua  Davis,  George  Paugh,  Boothe  Bond,  and 
Brumfield  Bond,  with  their  respective  families. 

The  present  membership  is  a  little  short  of  one  hundred. 

QUIET    DELL. 

For  many  years  the  Lost  Creek  Church  maintained  a 
Sabbath  School  at  Quiet  Dell,  on  Elk  Creek,  where  Rev.  John 
Davis  and  Deacon  Abel  Bond,  whose  home  for  so  many  years 
was  the  home  of  all  missionaries  to  western  Virginia,  lived 
in  earlier  days.  This  Sabbath  School  was  conducted,  for  the 
most  part,  under  the  spirited  leadership  of  Dudley  H.  Davis, 
whose  home  was  at  Quiet  Dell.  This  school  was  composed  of 
a  group  of  members  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  living  at  that 
place ;  it  gradually  fell  into  decay  and  was  abandoned  several 
years  ago. 

MIDDLE   ISLAND. 

There  was  a  Sabbath  School  organised  at  the  Middle 
Island  Church  as  early  as  1868.  Probably  the  first  superin- 
tendent was  Franklin  F.  Randolph.  The  Sabbath  School  was 
composed,  for  the  most  part,  of  the  following  named,  with 
their  respective  families : —  Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  Jepthah  F. 
Randolph,  Amaziah  Bee,  Samuel  Polan,  Nathan  Kelley,  Asa 


SABBATH   SCHOOLS 


339 


Kelley,  Franklin  F.  Randolph,  Granville  H.  Davis,  William  H. 
H.  Davis,  and  Abner  J.  Davis. 

The  long  list  of  superintendents  includes,  besides  Franklin 
F.  Randolph,  the  following: —  Rev.  James  B.  Davis,  Abner 
J.  Davis,  Luther  F.  Randolph,  Albert  Shock,  Daniel  Fillmore 
F.  Randolph,  Clementina  M.  Davis,  Anderson  H.  Davis, 
Walter  Fields  McWhorter,  Johnson  J.  Lowther,  James  E. 
Willis,  Corliss  F.  Randolph,  Archibald  W.  Kelley,  Iseus  F. 
Randolph,  Linville  B.  Davis,  Esle  F.  Randolph,  Manville  O. 
Polan,  William  L.  Davis,  Charles  Compton  Davis,  Eva  Noble, 
and  Roy  F.  Randolph. 

The  present  membership  numbers  about  thirty-five. 

About  the  year  1870,  a  Sabbath  School  library,  such  as 
was  published  at  that  time  for  the  purpose  of  the  American 
Tract  Society,  was  procured,  through  the  influence  of  Rev. 
Walter  B.  Gillette.  A  few  years  afterward,  a  library  which 
had  belonged  to  the  defunct  "Grant  Sabbath  School"  on  Buck- 
eye Run,  was  secured  for  the  Middle  Island  Sabbath  School, 
through  the  agency  of  Thomas  Edgar  Davis,  a  former 
member  of  the  "Grant  Sabbath  School." 

SOUTH    FORK    OF    HUGHES    RIVER     (PINE    GROVE). 

According  to  the  best  available  information,  this  Sabbath 
School  had  its  beginning  as  early  as  1842.  Its  chief  promoters 
were  Asa  Bee,  Sr.,  Joshua  S.  Davis,  and  Jonathan  C.  Lowther. 

Jonathan  C.  Lowther,  the  first  superintendent,  served  in 
that  capacity  for  many  years. 

The  enrollment,  never  large,  was  at  first  about  ten.  The 
average  attendance  during  the  entire  term  of  its  existence  was 
probably  about  twelve. 

The  school  was  finally  merged  into  the  Ritchie  Sabbath 
School. 

RITCHIE. 

The  Ritchie  Sabbath  School  was  organised  soon  after  the 
organisation  of  the  Ritchie  Church  in  1870.  The  active  pro- 
moters of  the  new  organisation  were  Asa  F.  Randolph.  Wil> 
Ham  F.  Ehret,  William  Jett,  and  Levi  B.  Stalnaker. 

The  first  superintendent  was  Levi  B.  Stalnaker.  He  was 
succeeded,  in  turn,  first  by  William  F.  Ehret,  and  then  by 
William  Jett.  The  following  is  an  incomplete  list  of  the  super- 


340 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


intendents  since  that  time: —  Alva  F.  Randolph,  Orpheus  S. 
Mills,  Ellsworth  F.  Randolph,  Luther  Brissey,  Calphurnia  F. 
Randolph  MeathreU,  Clyde  Ehret,  Elva  Sutton,  and  Erlow 
Sutton. 

The  present  enrollment  is  upwards  of  sixty. 

GREENBRIER. 

The  Greenbrier  Sabbath  School  was  organised,  probably, 
about  the  year  1867,  by  Preston  F.  Randolph. 

Among  the  superintendents  have  been  the  following: — 
Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  Ethelbert  J.  Davis,  Judson  F.  Ran- 
dolph, John  F.  Randolph,  Festus  P.  Ford,  Riley  G.  Davis,  Mrs. 
Marcus  E.  Martin,  Fenton  R.  Clark,  Milton  Clark,  Fenton 
Williams,  Lewis  B.  Stuttler,  Frank  W.  Williams. 

The  leading  spirits  in  the  organisation  of  the  school 
included  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  Jesse  Clark,  Lewis  F.  Randolph, 
Judson  F.  Randolph,  and  others. 

At  the  present  time  the  enrollment  numbers  about  thirty. 

ROANOKE. 

The  Roanoke  Sabbath  School  was  organised  April  14, 
1872,  soon  after  the  organisation  of  the  Roanoke  Church. 

The  superintedents  have  been  as  follows : —  John  J. 
Hevener,  Mansfield  M.  Hevener,  Festus  Kelley,  Ina  Hevener, 
B.  Wilson  Bee,  Ahva  J.  C.  Bond,  and  Samuel  D.  Bond. 

At  the  organisation  of  the  school,  the  enrollment 
numbered  twenty.  At  the  present  time,  it  is  upwards  of 
thirty. 

CONINGS    (bear    fork). 

The  Conings  (Bear  Fork)  Sabbath  School  was  organised 
about  the  time  of  the  organisation  of  the  Conings  (Bear  Fork) 
Church  in  1881. 

The  more  prominent  members  were,  John  Leeson,  Mary 
Ann  Leeson,  Thomas  Leeson,  Nancy  Ellen  Leeson,  William 
H.  Flesher,  Eliza  Jane  Flesher,  Rebecca  Ann  Flesher,  J.  L. 
Flesher,  Sigourney  Flesher,  Jabez  Spurgeon,  Christina  Spur- 
geon,  Charles  Spurgeon,  A.  J.  Lasure  and  wife,  Joshua  C. 
Spurgeon,  and  Emily  Spurgeon. 

The  first  superintendent  was  John  Leeson.  Other 
superintendents  have  been  William  H.  Flesher  and  Joshua  C. 
Spurgeon. 


SABBATH   SCHOOLS  341 

At  the  time  of  organisation  the  enrollment  numbered 
about  twenty.     The  largest  enrollment  was  twenty-five. 

The  Sabbath  School  was  conducted  through  the  summer 
season  only.  Some  three  or  four  years  ago,  it  was  discon- 
tinued altogether. 

SALEMVILLE. 

This  Sabbath  School  was  organised  in  March,  1887. 
Among  those  active  in  establishing  it  were.  Rev.  George  B. 
Kagarise,  George  C.  Long,  Amos  D.  Wolfe,  Charles  F. 
Shriner,  and  others. 

The  first  superintendent  was  Wilson  Kagarise.  The  fol- 
lowing have  likewise  served  in  that  capacity: —  John  Wolfe, 
Sr.,  Noah  B.  Blough,  Abraham  W.  Walter,  Amos  D.  Wolfe, 
George  E.  Negley,  Charles  C.  Wolfe,  George  C.  Long,  and 
Jerome  Kagarise. 

In  the  earliest  history  of  the  school,  its  membership  num- 
bered about  eighty.  The  present  enrollment  is  about  forty- 
five. 

WEST  UNION. 

The  West  Union  Sabbath  School  was  organised  April  20, 
1889.  Gamble  S.  Davis,  Festus  P.  Ford,  Lillie  M.  Ford, 
Septimius  A.  Ford,  Emma  Davis,  Samuel  L.  Ford,  and  Laura 
A.  Ford,  were  the  leading  members. 

Festus  P.  Ford  was  the  first  and  only  superintendent 
during  the  four  years  and  a  half  of  the  existence  of  the  school. 

The  membership  in  the  beginning  was  about  eighteen. 
The  largest  enrollment  was  thirty. 

The  school  was  discontinued  in  September,  1893. 

COPEN. 

The  Copen  Sabbath  School  was  organised  and  maintained 
during  some  two  or  three  consecutive  summers,  about  the  time 
of  the  organisation  of  the  Copen  Church  in  1887. 

The  officers  were :  Albert  Shock,  superintendent ;  Wil- 
liam L.  Wildman,  assistant  superintendent;  Uriah  C.  Shock, 
secretary ;  and  Waitman  T.  W.  Davis,  chorister.  Albert 
Shock,  William  L.  Wildman,  and  Iva  Virginia  Shock,  were 
among  those  who  served  as  teachers. 

The  average  membership  was  about  nineteen.  The 
school  was  discontinued  in  1889. 


342       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

BLACK  LICK. 

The  Black  Lick  Sabbath  School  was  organised  in  the 
year  1891,  with  the  Trough  School  House  as  the  place  of 
meeting.  The  chief  promoters  were  Sylvanus  Davis,  Mrs. 
Sarah  E.  Cottrille,  and  her  daughter  Gertrude  Cottrille.  The 
enrollment  at  first  numbered  twenty-one. 

The  first  superintendent  was  Gertrude  Cottrille.  Others 
who  occupied  that  office  were  Alfred  N.  Meek,  Sylvanus 
Davis,  Mrs.  Marcus  E.  Martin,  Nancy  J.  Davis,  and  Samuel 
A.  Ford. 

This  school  was  open  during  six  months  of  the  year,  only. 
In  the  late  fall  and  winter  months,  the  weather  was  too  severe 
for  regular  attendance.  The  school  has  not  been  open  since 
1899.  At  the  time  the  school  was  discontinued,  the  average 
attendance  was  twenty-two. 


XXV. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY. 


fV^^i^^E  first  formal  meeting  of  the  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptists  of  which  we 
have  any  record,  for  the  pvirpose  of 
considering  the  educational  inter- 
ests of  this  association,  was  held  at 
New  Salem,  Virginia,  December  4, 
1850. 

Previous  to  this  time,  Dr.  Ethel- 
bert  Bond,  John  S.  Davis,  and 
Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  all 
brothers-in-law,  and  all  living  at  West  Union,  the  county  seat 
of  Doddridge  County,  some  thirteen  miles  west  of  New  Salem, 
had  purchased,  jointly,  at  a  cost  of  three  hundred  dollars 
($300.0),  a  house  and  lot  in  West  Union  for  school  purposes  ;^ 
and  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  at  that  time  labouring  as  a  missionary 
among  the  churches  in  Virginia,  had  secured  the  services  of 
Stephen  Thomas  W^est  Potter  of  Scott,  New  York,  as  a 
teacher.  The  minutes  of  the  meeting  referred  to  above,  are 
as  follows : — 

"A  council  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  friends  convened  for  the 
purpose  of  consulting  the  religious  and  educational  interests  of  the 
denomination.  The  meeting  being  opened  by  prayer,  and  the  objects 
thereof  stated,  Lodowick  H.  Davis  was  called  to  the  chair  and  Wil- 
liam F.  Randolph  appointed  secretary. 

I.  This  property  was  purchased  of  Henry  M.  Miller,  who  had  used  it  for  a  pri- 
vate school  himself.  The  deed  for  it  was  not  executed,  however,  until  January  18, 
I856,  when  he  and  his  wife,  Elizabeth,  made  the  deed  directly  to  John  S.  Davis,  l,odo- 
wick  H.  Davis,  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  and  David  D.  Davis,  as 
trustees  of  the  West  Union  Academy.  Two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ($250.00)  was 
finally  made  the  purchase  price,  instead  of  three  hundred  dollars  (I300.00)  as  origi- 
nally agreed.  The  property  is  designated  as  "  lot  No.  4  on  the  north  side  of  Wood 
Street  "  in  the  town  of  West  Union.  The  adjoining  lot.  No.  5,  was  deeded  to  Joseph 
Jeffrey  as  president  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the  West  Union  Academy,  by  Nathan 
Davis  and  Jane,  his  wife,  under  date  of  October  21,  1853. 


344       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

"i.  RESOLVED,  That  we  approve  the  course  pursued  by  Elder 
Azor  Estee  in  obtaining  a  teacher  for  the  purpose  of  starting  a  high 
school  at  West  Union;  that  we  feel  encouraged  by  his  success  in 
engaging  Mr.  Potter,  of  New  York,  and  the  progress  made  thus  far 
in  organising  the  school. 

"2.  RESOLVED,  That  we  will  use  our  best  exertions  and  influ- 
ence, and  our  wealth  as  far  as  may  be  consistent,  for  the  erection  of 
an  academy  at  West  Union,  which  we  deem  indispensably  necessary 
for  the  advancement  of  education  in  western  Virginia. 

'■3.  RESOLVED,  That  A.  Estee,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Isaac  F. 
Randolph,  John  Maxson,  John  L.  F.  Randolph,  and  Jepthah  F.  Ran- 
dolph be  a  committee  to  draft  and  mature  as  far  as  practicable  a  gen- 
eral plan  of  operation  for  carrying  forward  the  enterprise,  and  that  it 
be  their  duty  to  inquire  of  the  present  proprietors  of  the  school  prop- 
erty at  West  Union  and  others  what  their  wishes  are  with  regard  to 
erecting  a  more  extensive  building.  Also  to  prepare  and  circulate  a 
subscription  for  obtaining  funds  for  that  purpose,  and  use  their  best 
endeavours  to  secure  united  and  efficient  action  in  the  matter,  and 
report  their  progress  to  the  next  meeting. 

"Adjourned  to  meet  again  at  this  place  on  [the]  First  Day  [of 
the  week]   after  the  fourth  Sabbath  in  this  month. 

"By  consultation  afterwards  the  adjourned  meeting  was  postponed 
until  January  13,  1851." 

At  the  meeting  of  the  council  held  at  New  Salem,  January 
13,  1 85 1,  the  committee  appointed  at  the  previous  meeting 
reported  in  favour  of  building  an  academy  at  West  Union  and 
presented  a  plan  for  accomplishing  the  object.  The  report 
was  adopted  by  the  council,  and  William  F.  Randolph  and 
John  S.  Davis  were  appointed  a  committee  to  secure  a  charter 
from  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia. 

On  February  16,  following,  the  committee  previously 
appointed  made  further  report.  The  committee  on  a  charter 
was  urged  to  proceed  with  its  work  with  all  practicable  speed. 
John  S.  Davis,  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  and 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph  were  appointed  a  committee  "to  use 
further  effort  in  raising  funds  to  carry  forward  the  enterprise." 
Three  days  later,  February  19,  William  F.  Randolph,  of 
the  committee  on  charter,  forwarded  to  Richmond,  the  capital 
of  the  state  of  Virginia,  a  copy  of  the  draft  of  charter  which 
had  been  presented  to  the  council  and  adopted  by  that  body 
January  13,  1851.  Apparently  it  reached  Richmond  too  late 
for  consideration  before  the  adjournment  of  the  General 
Assembly,  for  on  December  26,  1851,  it  was  copied  a  second 


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WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  345 

time  and  forwarded  to  Richmond.  It  provided  that  the  capital 
stock  should  be  divided  into  shares  of  fifteen  dollars  each  with 
a  minimum  aggregate  of  one  thousand  dollars,  ($1,000.00), 
and  a  maximum  aggregate  of  twenty  thousand  dollars 
($20,000.00).  On  the  i6th  of  the  next  April,  the  following 
charter  was  passed : — 

"An  Act  to  Incorporate  the  West  Union  Academy  in  the 
County  of  Doddridge. 

"Passed  April  i6th,  1852. 

"i.  Be  it  Enacted  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  seminary  of  learning  in  the  town  of  West  Union 
in  the  County  of  Doddridge,  it  shall  be  lawful  to  open  books  for 
receiving  subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  twenty  thousand  dollars,  in 
shares  of  fifteen  dollars  each ;  the  said  books  to  be  opened  at  West 
Union,  under  the  direction  of  William  F.  Randolph,  Ethelbert  Bond, 
John  S.  Davis,  Ezekiel  Bee,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Abel  P.  Bond,  and  Eliona 
Davis,  or  any  four  of  them,  and  at  such  other  places  and  at  the  direc- 
tion of  such  other  persons  as  the  said  commissioners  or  any  four  of 
them  may  appoint. 

"2.  Whenever  seventy  shares  of  the  said  stock  shall  be  subscribed, 
the  subscribers,  their  executors,  administrators,  and  assigns  shall  be 
and  are  hereby  incorporated  into  a  company  by  the  name  and  style  of 
*The  IVest  Union  Academy;'  by  which  name  they  shall  have  perpetual 
succession,  may  sue  and  be  sued,  contract  and  be  contracted  with,  and 
have,  use,  and  alter  a  common  seal,  with  power  to  purchase,  take,  and 
hold  lands,  tenements,  goods,  chattels,  and  moneys  for  the  use  and 
benefit  of  such  academy. 

"3.  A  general  meeting  of  the  stockholders  for  the  election  of  a 
board  of  trustees  shall  be  held  in  the  town  of  West  Union  as  soon 
after  the  subscription  of  the  said  forty  shares  as  shall  be  convenient, 
at  such  time  and  place  as  the  said  trustees  or  a  majority  of  them 
may  appoint,  and  annually  thereafter. 

"4.  Two  weeks  notice  at  least  shall  be  given  of  all  general  meet- 
ings of  the  stockholders,  and  notice  to  be  given  in  such  manner  as 
the  trustees  may  appoint;  and  to  constitute  a  quorum,  a  majority  of 
the  shares  subscribed  must  be  represented,  but  a  less  number  may 
adjourn  from  day  to  day  until  a  quorum  be  obtained.  And  in  all 
such  general  meetings  each  stockholder  may  in  person  or  by  proxy 
give  the  following  vote  on  the  stock  held  by  him,  to  wit:  One  vote 
for  each  share  of  said  stock  not  exceeding  six ;  one  vote  for  every  two 
shares  of  said  stock  over  six  and  not  exceeding  twelve ;  and  one  vote 
for  every  four  shares  over  twelve  and  not  exceeding  twenty-four; 
and  one  vote  for  every  ten  shares  exceeding  twenty-four. 

"5.  The  affairs  of  said  corporation  shall  be  managed  by  a  board 
of  trustees  consisting  of  five  persons,  to  be  elected  by  the  stockholders 
In  general  meeting,  and  to  continue  in  office  one  year,  or  until  their 


346       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

successors  be  appointed,  any  three  of  which  trustees  shall  be  a 
quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business. 

"6.  The  trustees  or  a  majority  of  them  shall  choose  by  a  ballot, 
a  president,  secretary,  and  treasurer,  and  such  other  officers,  teachers, 
agents,  or  servants  as  they  shall  deem  necessary,  and  shall  have  power 
to  make  such  contracts  as  they  may  consider  conducive  to  the  inter- 
ests of  the  academy,  and  to  require  the  subscribers  to  the  stock  of  the 
academy  to  pay  in  the  stock,  by  them  severally  subscribed,  to  the 
treasurer  at  such  times  and  in  such  installments  as  they  shall  specify: 
provided,  that  the  said  trustees  shall  not  sell  or  dispose  of  any  real 
estate  belonging  to  said  academy,  unless  the  consent  of  a  majority  of 
shareholders  be  first  had  and  obtained  at  some  general  meeting 
thereof. 

"7.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  all  moneys  accruing  to  the 
academy  and  property  delivered  to  his  care,  and  shall  pay  or  deliver 
the  same  to  the  order  of  the  board.  Before  entering  upon  his  duties 
he  shall  give  bond,  with  security  in  such  penalty  as  the  board  may 
direct,  made  payable  to  the  trustees  for  the  time  being  and  their  suc- 
cessors, and  conditions  for  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties,  under 
such  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  adopted  by  the  board,  and  it 
shall  be  lawful  for  the  said  trustees  to  obtain  a  judgment  for  the 
amount  thereof,  or  any  special  delinquencies  incurred  by  said  treas- 
urer, on  motion,  in  the  Circuit  Court  of  Doddridge  County,  against 
the  said  treasurer  and  his  securities,  his  or  their  executors  or  admin- 
istrators, upon  giving  ten  days  notice  of  said  motion,  and  in  case  any 
stockholder  shall  fail  to  pay  any  subscription  or  installment  due  from 
him  or  her  to  said  academy,  when  thereto  required  as  here-in-before 
provided  for,  after  notice  to  the  subscriber  or  such  requisition,  the 
same  may  be  recovered  in  any  Court  of  Record  in  Doddridge  County, 
in  like  manner  and  on  like  notice. 

"8.  The  said  board  of  trustees  may  supply  vacancies  in  their  own 
body  and  make  such  by-laws,  rules,  and  regulations  respecting  the 
aflfairs  of  the  corporation,  as  they  may  approve,  not  inconsistent  with 
the  constitution  and  laws  of  this  commonwealth  or  of  the  United 
States,  but  a  majority  of  the  stockholders  at  any  general  meeting  may 
amend,  alter  or  repeal  such  by-laws,  rules,  and  regulations,  or  any 
of  them. 

"9.  The  president  shall  preside  over  the  proceedings  of  the 
trustees,  and  in  his  absence  a  chairman  pro  tempore  may  be  chosen  to 
preside  at  such  meeting.  The  said  trustees  shall  keep  a  full  and  fair 
record  of  their  proceedings  in  a  suitable  book  to  be  provided  for  the 
purpose,  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of  each  meeting  to  be  signed 
by  the  chairman,  or  chairman  pro  tempore. 

"10.  The  capital  stock  of  said  seminary  shall  be  deemed  personal 
estate,  and  shall  pass  and  descend  in  the  same  manner,  and  shall  be 
transferable  on  the  books  of  such  seminary  in  such  form  as  the  by- 
laws  shall   prescribe;   and   any   debt   which   any  stockholder   may  owe 


z  S 


fc 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  347 

said  academy  being  arrearages  upon  his  stock,  shall  constitute  a  lien 
upon  the  same  until  such  debt  is  paid. 

"11.  Extra  meetings  of  the  stockholders  may  be  convened  at  any 
time  by  order  of  the  board  of  trustees,  or  by  any  number  of  stock- 
holders holding  together  twenty  shares  of  stock  or  more.  Notice  of 
such  meetings  to  be  given  in  the  manner  here-in-before  prescribed. 

"12.     This  act  shall  be  in  force  from  its  passage." 

"State  of  Virginia,  City  of  Richmond;  To  zinf, 
"I,  George  W.  Mumford,  Clerk  of  the  House  of  Delegates  and 
Keeper  of  the  Rolls  of  Virginia,  do  hereby  certify  that  the  foregoing 
is  a  true  copy  of  an  act  passed  by  the  General  Assembly  of  Virginia 
on  the  i6th  day  of  April,  1852.  Given  under  my  hand  this  30th  day 
of  September,  1852. 

"George  W.  Mumford, 

"C[lerk  of  the]    H[ousc  of]   D[elegatcs]   and 
Keeper  of  the  Rolls  of   Virginia." 

Through  an  error  of  the  engrossing  clerk  of  the  House 
of  Delegates  the  required  number  of  shares  of  stock  was  made 
"seventy"  instead  of  "forty."  This  together  with  another 
verbal  error  arising  from  the  same  cause,  necessitated  amend- 
ments to  the  charter  which  were  passed  by  the  next  General 
Assembly  as  early  as  January  13,  1853.  These  amendments 
altered  the  word  "seventy"  in  the  second  section  to  "forty," 
and  the  word  "trustees"  in  the  third  section  became 
"commissioners." 

The  charter  and  amendments  as  finally  passed  were  drawn 
by  Benjamin  W.  Jackson,  and  differed  materially  as  to  details 
from  the  draft  first  approved  by  the  council. 

On  June  20,  1853,  George  J.  Davis,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  John 
S.  Davis,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Stephen  T.  Davis,  Samuel 
Preston  F.  Randolph,  and  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  stockholders, 
met  at  West  Union  for  the  purpose  of  considering  the  inter- 
ests of  the  academy.  Upon  an  examination  of  the  book  of 
subscriptions  for  stock,  it  was  found  that  enough  stock  had 
been  subscribed  for  to  enable  the  organisation  of  the  corpora- 
tion to  proceed.  Accordingly,  they  issued  a  call  for  the  stock- 
holders to  meet  at  West  Union  on  the  8th  of  July  following  for 
that  purpose.  Owing,  however,  to  the  scant  attendance  of 
stockholders  at  that  time,  it  was  not  until  August  12,  1853,  that 
the  organisation  was  effected.  On  that  date,  the  following 
named  stockholders  were  present: —  John  S.  Davis,  Lodowick 
H.  Davis,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  Neeley  D.  Jeffrey,  William 


348 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Batten  (also  as  proxy  for  Abraham  Batten),  Peter  F.  Ran- 
dolph (also  as  proxy  for  Isaac  F.  Randolph),  Samuel  Preston 
F.  Randolph,  Stephen  T.  Davis,  William  J.  Davis,  Joseph 
Jeffrey,  Richard  Ford,  David  D.  Davis,  George  J.  Davis,  and 
William  F.  Randolph  (also  as  proxy  for  Jonathan  F. 
Randolph ) . 

John  S.  Davis,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Samuel  Preston  F. 
Randolph,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  and  David  D.  Davis  were  elected 
the  first  Board  of  Trustees.  The  stockholders  with  their 
respective  shares  were  as  follows : — 


William  f.  Randolph, 

7 

Shares, 

Peter    F.    Randolph, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

Isaac  F.   Randolph, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Jesse   F.   Randolph, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Jonathan  F.  Randolph, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Jepthah   F.   Randolph, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Eliona  Davis, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

John  S.  Davis, 

5 

Shares, 

Richard  Ford, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

George  Ford, 

I 

Share, 

Lodowick  H.   Davis, 

2 

Shares, 

George  J.  Davis, 

I 

Share, 

David  D.  Davis, 

2 

Shares, 

Stephen  T.  Davis, 

2 

Shares, 

William  J.  Davis, 

2 

Shares, 

Nathan  Davis, 

4 

1-3 

Shares, 

Joseph  Jeffrey, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

William   Batten, 

3 

1-3 

Shares, 

Abraham   Batten, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

Thomas  Bond, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

Abel  P.  Bond, 

I 

2-3 

Shares, 

Amaziah  Bee, 

2 

Shares, 

6o  2-3  Shares  at  $15, — $910 

These  shares  of  stock  were  taken  to  cover  subscriptions 
previously  made  to  the  academy. 

Thus  it  will  be  observed  that  from  the  time  of  the  first 
meeting  at  New  Salem  for  the  purpose  of  organising  a  school, 
more  than  two  years  had  elapsed  before  the  organisation  under 
the  charter  was  completed. 

At  about  this  time  it  appears  that  there  was  some  thought 
of  inviting  the  general  public  to  take  stock  in  the  institution, 


C  A  I'TA  I  X     X  ATH  A  X     DAVIS. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  349 

and  make  it  undenominational.  It  was  decided,  however,  not 
to  do  so,  but  to  keep  the  school  as  it  had  been  from  the 
beginning,  wholly  under  Seventh  Day  Baptist  control. 

In  the  meantime  the  material  business  affairs  of  the 
school  had  progressed  as  if  the  academy  had  been  incorporated 
from  the  beginning. 

March  16,  1851,  subscribers  to  stock  had  been  obtained  as 
follows : —  William  F.  Randolph,  Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  Jesse 
F.  Randolph,  Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  Richard  Ford,  George 
Ford,  Eliona  Davis,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  Stephen  T.  Davis, 
William  J.  Davis,  Nathan  Davis,  George  J.  Davis,  John  S. 
Davis,  and  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph.  On  the  above  men- 
tioned date,  these  subscribers  all  met  at  West  Union.  There 
were  present,  also.  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  Stephen  Thomas  West 
Potter,  Dr.  John  LaForge  F.  Randolph,  and  other  friends  of 
the  school,  who  were  invited  to  participate  in  the  deliberations 
of  the  day. 

At  this  meeting  it  was  voted  to  accept  the  offer  of  Dr. 
Ethelbert  Bond,  John  S.  Davis,  and  Samuel  Preston  F.  Ran- 
dolph, the  owners  of  the  building  and  lot  then  used  for  school 
purposes,  as  follows : — 

"That,  Inasmuch  as  the  present  owners  had  paid  three  hundred 
dollars  for  the  property,  they  would  sell  it  for  school  purposes  for  that 
sum  with  interest  on  what  they  had  already  paid  toward  it.  John  S. 
Davis  offered  to  subscribe  seventy-five  dollars,  and  Samuel  Preston 
F.  Randolph  fifty  dollars,  respectively,  of  the  amount  to  the  capital  - 
fund  of  the  institution." 

The  offer  accepted,  a  board  of  eight  directors  was 
elected  in  accordance  with  the  terms  of  the  form  of  charter 
adopted  by  the  council  January  13,  1851.  The  directors  were 
as  follows: —  John  S.  Davis,  William  F.  Randolph,  Nathan 
Davis,  Joseph  Jeffrey,  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  Lodowick 
H.  Davis,  Stephen  T.  Davis,  and  William  J.  Davis.  They 
were  instructed  to  be  governed  by  the  terms  of  the  charter  as 
agreed  upon  by  the  council. 

Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter  and  Rev.  Azor  Estee  werer 
requested  to  assist  the  directors  in  their    duties.     Rev.    Azor 
Estee  was  appointed  solicitor  and  collector. 

On  the  evening  of  the  same  day,  the  directors  held  a  meet- 
ing, at  which  the  following  members  were  present : —    John  S. 


350       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Davis,  William  F.  Randolph,  Nathan  Davis,  Lodowick  H. 
Davis,  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  and  Stephen  T.  Davis. 
Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter  presented  a  plan  for  a  building, 
two  stories  high,  thirty-six  feet  long  and  twenty-six  feet  wide, 
to  be  erected  adjoining  or  near  the  present  school  house.  The 
plan  was  adopted  and  the  board  took  the  following  action : — 

"RESOLVED,  To  commence  building  as  soon  as  practicable,  but 
being  doubtful  of  the  present  subscribed  funds  being  sufficient  to  finish 
fully,  it  was  thought  best  only  to  erect,  inclose,  lay  the  floors  and  finish 
one  room  for  the  present."" 

Nathan  Davis,  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  John  S. 
Davis,  and  William  F.  Randolph  were  appointed  a  building 
committee. 

On  April  30,  185 1,  Eliona  Davis  signed  a  contract  for 
erecting  the  new  academy  building  "in  a  workmanlike  manner, 
embracing  the  following  items ;  viz.,  Making  the  shingles, 
framing,  finishing  the  roof  and  gables  and  weather-boarding, 
windows  and  door-frames,  painting  steeple,  sash,  putting  in 
windows,  doors,  laying  the  upper  and  lower  floors,  and  plas- 
tering one  room  eighteen  by  twenty-six  feet"  for  the  sum  of 
two  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  ($225.00). 

On  February  26,  1852,  the  agent,  Samuel  Preston  'b. 
Randolph,  rendered  a  statement  showing  that  the  contractor 
had  been  allowed  one  hundred  dollars  and  seventy-three  cents 
($100.73)  for  extra  work,  and  six  dollars  and  thirty-seven 
cents  ($6.37)  for  disbursements,  leaving  an  unadjusted  claim 
of  fifty  dollars  ($50.00)  for  extra  work  on  the  cupola.  The 
agent  further  said  that  the  contract  was  not  completed,  for 
want  of  lumber. 

The  total  cost  of  the  buildings  and  grounds  was  eight 
hundred  and  twenty-seven  dollars  and  thirteen  cents  ($827.13). 
This  included  the  original  house  and  lot  at  three  hundred 
dollars  ($300.00)  ;  the  cost  to  erect  the  new  building,  four 
hundred  and  sixty-two  dollars  and  thirteen  cents  ($462.13)  ; 
and  an  additional  lot  purchased  of  Nathan  Davis  for  sixty-five 
dollars  ($65.00). 

On  the  twenty-eighth  of  August,  1853.  the  directors 
authorised  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph  to  rent  the  old  school 
house  to  the  best  advantage. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  directors  held  September  13,  1854, 


SAMUEL    PRESTON     FITZ     K.\  N'DOI.riT. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  35 1 

Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph  was  instructed  to  make  such 
improvements  on  the  academy  as  he  might  deem  best,  and  he 
was  further  instructed  to  rent  both  the  school  house  and 
academy  as  opportunity  might  offer. 

The  directors  at  a  meeting  held  April  22,  1855,  set  nine 
hundred  dollars  ($900.00)  as  the  lowest  price  they  could 
accept  for  the  property  of  the  corporation,  and  authorised  Jep- 
thah  F.  Randolph  to  sell  it,  if  opportunity  offered. 

On  August  8,  1856,  a  sale  was  closed,  whereby  the  entire 
property  was  sold  by  Jepthah  F.  Randolph  as  agent  to  Isaiah 
Bee  for  one  thousand  dollars  ($1,000.00).  On  March  16, 
i860,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  \'irginia 
passed  bill  No.  449,  introduced  by  Samuel  Preston  F.  Ran- 
dolph, one  of  the  directors  of  the  academy  and  at  that  time 
representing  Doddridge  County  in  the  lower  house  of  the 
General  Assembly.     The  act  runs  as  follows : — 

''Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly,  That  the  sale  of  the  real 
estate  belonging  to  the  corporation  styled  the  West  Union  Academy 
of  Doddridge,  including  the  academy  buildings  and  appurtenances, 
heretofore  made  by  the  trustees  of  said  academy,  shall  be  and  the 
same  is  hereby  legalised,  and  the  conveyance  of  said  property  made 
by  them  is  hereby  confirmed  and  ratified ;  provided,  however,  that 
nothing  herein  contained  shall  be  construed  to  impair  or  destroy  any 
lien  or  claim  against  said  property  at  the  time  of  said  sale.  And  a 
general  meeting  of  the  stockholders  of  said  corporation  shall  be  called 
in  the  manner  presented  by  the  charter  of  said  company  to  decide  how 
the  proceeds  of  the  sale  aforesaid  shall  be  disposed  of.  But  if  it  be 
found  impossible  to  convene  such  meeting,  then  the  trustees  shall  settle 
up  the  affairs  of  said  corporation  as  may  be  deemed  best  for  the  inter- 
est of  the  stockholders.     This  act  shall  be  in  force  from  its  passage." 

On  December  18.  1863,  the  trustees  of  the  West  Union 
Academy  m.et  at  Joseph  Jeffrey's  near  West  Union  to  close  up 
the  business  of  the  corporation  of  The  West  Union  Academy. 
The  following  trustees  were  present : —  Joseph  Jeffrey, 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  and  Stephen  T. 
Davis. 

Jepthah  F.  Randolph  presented  written  assignments  for 
all  the  outstanding  stock  of  the  corporation  save  that  held  by 
himself.  By  vote  of  the  trustees,  the  assignments  were  all 
accepted,  and  the  stock  all  accordingly  transferred  to  Jepthah 
F.  Randolph  into  whose  hands  the  entire  remaining  business 
of  the  West  Union  Academy  was  committed,  and  the  corpora- 


352       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

tion  passed  out  of  existence.  The  records  were  left  with 
Franklin  F.  Randolph,  of  New  Milton,  West  Virginia,  who  had 
for  two  years  been  the  secretary  of  the  corporation,  "for 
reference  for  all  concerned.'' 

The  history  of  the  school  itself  was  of  a  spasmodic  char- 
acter. It  is  probable  that  after  the  original  building  was  pur- 
chased by  Dr.  Ethelbert  Bond,  John  S.  Davis,  and  Samuel 
Preston  F.  Randolph,  it  was  not  used  for  school  purposes  until 
the  arrival  of  Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter  from  Scott,  New 
York,  who  as  stated  previously,  was  secured  through  the 
efforts  of  Rev.  Azor  Estee. 

Mr.  Potter  taught  two  terms  of  school  during  the  winter 
of  1850-51,  and  the  following  spring.  At  the  close  of  the 
second  term,  he  left  and  did  not  return.  During  the  summer 
of  185 1,  Miss  Esther  F.  Randolph,  daughter  of  William  F. 
Randolph,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  academy,  taught  a  term 
of  seventeen  weeks. 

In  the  following  autumn  (1851),  Rev.  Azor  Estee  opened 
school  in  the  new  building.  This  was  probably  the  most 
prosperous  year  of  the  life  of  the  institution.  It  was  not  only 
well  patronised  by  the  people  of  the  town,  regardless  of 
denominational  affiliation,  but  students  came  from  a  large  num- 
ber of  Seventh  Day  Baptist  families  located  at  New  Milton, 
Greenbrier,  New  Salem,  and  various  other  localities  within  the 
bounds  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  of  Virginia. 
Many  of  these  students  boarded  themselves,  and  Rev.  Azor 
Estee  conducted  a  club  of  twenty-six  members,  besides  his  own 
family,  at  a  cost  of  seventy-two  cents  a  week  for  each  member. 

Apparently,  a  term  was  taught  the  following  summer 
(1852),  by  Ezra  F.  Randolph,  a  brother  of  Miss  Esther  F. 
Randolph,  who  had  taught  in  the  summer  of  185 1.  During 
the  year  1852-53.  the  school  seems  to  have  been  taught  by  two 
brothers,  Benoni  Israel  and  Robert  Alexander  Jeffrey,  sons 
of  Joseph  Jeffrey,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  academy. 

In  the  meantime,  William  F.  Randolph  had  been  appointed 
corresponding  secretary,  and  instructed  to  open  correspondence 
to  secure  a  suitable  teacher  for  the  school.  As  a  result  of  his 
efforts,  Daniel  Maxson  Burdick  of  Little  Genesee,  New 
York,  was  secured  and  was  upon  the  ground  by  the  20th  of 
June,  1853.  -^s  he  arrived  later  than  he  had  expected,  he 
(22) 


FRAXKLIX    F.    RANDOLPH.  PRESTON    F.    RANDOLPH. 

VIRGINLA    F.    RANDOLPH. 
ISAIAH  BEE.  LEWIS  TOWNSEND  DAVIS. 

(A  group  of  West  Union  Academy  students). 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  353 

found  a  school  already  in  progress  in  the  village  in  the  county 
court  house,  taught  by  a  Baptist  clergyman.  The  trustees, 
nevertheless,  tendered  him  the  academy,  rent  free,  and 
he  opened  a  school  with  some  twenty  pupils,  with  a  promise  of 
about  seventy  for  the  following  term.  He  was,  however, 
called  home  by  sickness  in  his  family,  and  although  he  promised 
to  return,  he  found  on  his  arrival  at  home  that  it  would  be 
impossible  for  him  to  do  so,  and  so  abandoned  the  enterprise. 
This  was  undoubtedly  the  last  tangible  effort  of  the  trustees 
to  conduct  a  denominational  school  in  the  buildings. 

Apparently  from  the  time  of  Daniel  Maxson  Bur- 
dick's  departure  in  the  late  summer  or  autumn  of  1853,  there 
was  no  school  conducted  in  the  buildings,  as  it  was  hoped 
he  would  return,  until  the  first  of  the  following  June, 
when  the  property  was  rented  to  one  H.  T.  Hays,  who  con- 
tinued to  hold  possession  until  June  6,  1855,  V^V^^S  ^  ''^"t  of 
forty  dollars  ($40.00)  a  year.  Hays  was  not  a  Seventh 
Day  Baptist,  and  probably  conducted  a  subscription  (select) 
school  for  the  benefit  of  the  children  of  the  village.  The 
buildings  then  appear  to  have  stood  idle  until  the  8th  day  of 
August,  1856,  when  the  entire  property  was  sold  and  passed 
into  the  possession  of  Isaiah  Bee,  wdio  taught  two  terms  of 
school  in  the  academy,  when  it  ceased  to  be  used  for  school 
purposes.  During  the  Civil  War  it  was  used  as  a  hospital  by 
the  Union  Army.  Later  the  cupola  was  removed,  and  the 
building  was  transformed  into  a  dwelling  house.  It  is  now  the 
comfortable  home  of  the  daughter  of  one  of  Rev.  Azor 
Estee's  former  school  patrons. 

The  academy  was  organised  and  established  mainly 
through  the  joint  efforts  of  Rev.  Azor  Estee  and  William  F. 
Randolph,  the  latter  of  whom  was  its  largest  stockholder  and 
its  leading  spirit  throughout  the  entire  period  of  its  active 
history.  He,  together  with  his  father,  Jonathan  F.  Randolph; 
his  uncle,  Jesse  F.  Randolph ;  his  brothers,  Jepthah  F.  Ran- 
dolph, Peter  F.  Randolph,  Samuel  Preston  F.  Randolph,  and 
Isaac  F.  Randolph ;  his  brothers-in-law,  John  S.  Davis  and 
Eliona  Davis ;  and  his  son-in-law,  Richard  Ford ;  held  a  pre- 
ponderence  of  the  stock. 

The  academy  was  modelled  largely  after  the  North- 
western Virginia  Academy   situated   at  Clarksburg,   twenty- 


354       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

seven  miles  east  of  West  Union,  and  fourteen  miles  east  of  New 
Salem. ^  The  North-Western  Academy  was  originally  incorpor- 
ated by  an  act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth 
of  Virginia,  passed  December  31,  1787.  as  a  branch  of  William 
and  Mary's  College,  under  the  name  of  the  Randolph  Academy, 
so  called  in  honor  of  Governor  Edmund  Randolph,  who  was 
one  of  the  original  trustees.  Its  first  principal  was  Rev. 
George  Towers,  a  graduate  of  Oxford  University,  England. 
It  was  re-incorporated  as  the  North-Western  Virginia  Acad- 
emy, in  1842 ;  and  in  1866  passed  into  the  public  school  system, 
and  survives  to-day  as  the  most  excellent  public  high  school  of 
the  city  of  Clarksburg,  West  \'irginia.  The  North-Western 
Virginia  Academy  was  patronised  to  some  extent  by  Seventh 
Day  Baptists  after  the  West  Union  Academy  was  closed  and 
perhaps  before  the  latter  was  established. 

A  prospectus  of  the  North-Western  Virginia  Academy 
marked  in  the  handwriting  of  William  F.  Randolph,  is  in 
existence  at  the  present  time,  filed  away  among  the  surviving 
papers  of  the  West  Union  Academy.  This  prospectus  embodies 
what  are  well  known  to  have  been  William  F.  Randolph's 
ideals  for  the  West  Union  Academy. 

The  fundamental  weakness  of  the  West  Union  Academy 
was  the  fact  that  while  it  was  undertaken  as  a  denominational 
school  for  which  there  was  a  crying  need,  it  was  also  under- 
taken as  a  financial  enterprise  which  was  expected  to  pay 
handsome  dividends  to  the  stockholders.  When  these  financial 
hopes  were  not  fulfilled  and  the  real  character  of  the  situation 
dawned  upon  the  promoters  of  the  enterprise,  they  became  dis- 
appointed and  discouraged.  Those  who  could  have  supported 
it  as  a  philanthropic  institution  refused  to  do  so,  and  those 
who  would  have  done  so,  were  unable. 

Nevertheless,  the  West  Union  Academy  was  by  no  means 
wholly  a  failure.  Of  its  students,  there  went  later  to  Alfred, 
New  York,  to  attend  Alfred  Academy  and  University,  five  of 
the  children  of  William  F.  Randolph;  viz.,  Preston,  Esther, 
Judson,  Jethro,  and  Silas ;  together  with  their  cousins  Frank- 


I.  In  iSoi,  Clarksburg  had  an  academy  in  which  about  fifty  pupils  were  taught. 
Isaac  Van  Meter's  Journal.  Cf.  Transallrgheny  Historical  Magazine,  Vol.  I,  No. 
I,  p.  96. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY 


355 


NorthwA'tcru  Virginia  Academy. 

Tnz  DusicN  or  ijiz  Institction  1j  to  aflford  the 
best  pos.-ible  opfKTtuuity  for  acquiring  a  thov- 
otifrh  En^lUb.  Chiiwical,  Ifatbamctical,  aud  Mcr- 
«aatilc  Education. 

The  CoiBei;  or  Lvstbcctxom  embraces  cverj' 
branch  tnnght?)tbcr  w  the  Commw  ScUooI  or 
College.  Students  will  be  forniabcd  with  every 
foiiiity  to  prcpuru  tbotnsclvcs  for  any  cf  the  pro- 
fessioub  or  pursuits  of  life. 

The  Gcviem:c>t  of  thk  AcAouar  is  mild., 
thiiijrh  fifin— avoidir.p  M;\cri:y  as  fur  as  potsiW^j, 
and  .vet  Te<5ir.nng  order  industry,  and  obedience 
as  fwCD'.ial  to  sncce^s  in  study,  and  to  incctine il-.o 
«st  expectation?  cf  friends  and  patr/ns.  Dili- 
gent and  cor.-t.int  caro  is  used  to  induce  nud 
ttren^'bcn  Lablts  of  pure  morality  and  virtue. — 
No  strdont  Tiill  bo  allcv.'cd  to  continue  in  the 
echool.  v^bose  conduct  i.s  found  to  ho  fulrccrsive 
of  these,  or  of  good  order  and  govcrnracnt. 

Tub  Yeah  is  Dividid  into  two  SrpsioNS  of 
twenty-two  weeks  each— begliining  wi;h  the  last 
Mondliy  in  April  and  October  respectively.  Each 
session  is  closed  with  a  public  examination  of  the 
various  classes,  at  which  all  the  students  ore  re- 
quired to  be  pieo^nt,  accompanied  with  such  other 
literary  e.xcrciie  as  usually  pertain  to^he  occasion 
aflcr  which  there  is  a  vacation  of  four  wceeku. 

TuE  K.vTES  OF  TvjTio.N  r£]i  SfbsioM  aro  as  fol- 

'0W3,-viE 

Orthogro'ihy  Et.vHiis.  Writing.  Ac. 
Geopraphy,  Gr.-ranlar,  ••'.rithmetic,  <fcc., 
Ili.-.lor>-   C'liemis'ry,  Philosophy,  and  oth- 
er ?Midics  in  Mental  Moral,  or  Natural 
Sxicncc, 
Latin  ftud  GrK-k  Langtiaees.  or  the  higher 
Mathematics, 
Ail  TntTtxi-BooEsused  in  thisins^itt'.tioncan 
be'  had  in  town,  on  reasonable  terms.    Students 
arc  rccciTcd  at  any  time,  but  it  is exceedifl^lj'  de- 
sirable that  they  should  be  present  at  the  o'pooing 
of  the-Kcajion  wben the  cIobjcs  are  fmt  ftijrraed' 

Good'Boap.dino  can  be  bad  in  privr.tj  fefnillc?, 
at  abont  81  5"  yit  week.  Provision  is  made  so 
that  those  desiring  it  can  board  themselves  at  per- 
haps one-ialf  of  the  above 
"  As  ixcEEi>r«!T  Sett  of  Arrx-HATC.s  in.  the  de- 
partments of  Electricity.  Philosophj'.  Astronomy, 
Opfiics,  MajHetism,&c.,  belongs  to  tjie  Aeademy, 
*nd  affords  great  .advantage  to  the  student  orthoec 
branO&cs. 

There  is  a  Litzraey  Socif.ty  in  connectioa 
with  the  luetiluUoo  -whose  exercise*  of  Compo- 
ilion,  Declamation,  Oration,  Criticism  and  De- 
bate, are  in  many  respects  of  great  importance 
andutility  to  the  student.  It  has  a  respectable 
and  growing  Library  to  which  all  the  members 
have  free  access. 


f  5  CO 

7  00 


0  00 
12  00 


Tar  Laws  of  thk  Acaokmv  require  eacli  stu- 
dent to  attend  Public  Worship  on  the  Sabbatli  at 
such  place  a*  himself  or  parents  may  select.  TTie 
Scriptures  are  dailyread  with  prayer,  ot'which  all 
the  students  are  rsqulred  tor  to  present  While 
nothing  of  a  sectarian  character  m  allowed  in  the 
instructions  of  the  school,  parents  are  assured 
that  '■rirn^^i  efforts  will  bo  made  to  Inculcate  from 
the  Bi'jlo  tl-.os"  lossons  of  Duty  and  Moral  Obliga- 
tion which,  no  !•  ss  thin  Mental  culture,  aro  cs- 
snMsl  to  ludividujl  andsociil  happiness  and  pros- 
po-ily. 

T!i-5  undjrsigued  would  csJl  attention  to  th« 
claims  of  this  Institution  on  the  patronogo  and  fa- 
vor of  the  public.  At  almost  every  session  since 
itsorgaiiiz-itioii  it  hnssent  out  a  greater  or  less 
number  of  well  instructed  and  diicipliued  young 
men,  sortje  of  whom  aro  honorably  end  usifully 
employed  in  the  villous  avocations  and  pursuits 
of  life,  others,  with  credit  to  themselves,  have 
graduate  at  liig.'r;-  iusiitations,  while  perhaps  a. 
ma>6r(ly  of  tn.j  you.ng  meu  imm°,diatcly  on  lea- 
\'Uig  us  become  actively  and  profitably  engaged  i:i 
TsacMng.  The  low  rates  of  tuition— tho  central 
location  of  the  Instifutioii  in  a  region  eminently 
nrahhy  and  easy  of  access  from  all  pohrts  in  con- 
nection with  its  superior  educational  iiiciiitics.alL 
unite  to  commend  it  to  the  friet^'^f  sound  in- 
struction, and  to  young  men  egpeeiaily  who  wi«h 
,to  be  pn-parcd  for  the  worthy  and  intelligent  per- 
formance of  their  parU  in  life.  We  have  tlie 
pleasure  of  stating  that  the  prcsont  attsodance 
and  future  prospects  of  the  Inslitation  ar«  aJto* 
gcthor  of  the  most  encouraging  character 

ALEX.  MAKTI^^  PiEfciPAL. 
CnAStis  Lrwif   Prea.     1   nr^i.    t>.      >^^ 
Nathan  riorf    Trcas.    (.  Of  the  Boardof  Xrus- 
R.  T.  Moc*E,  Pec.         S  '  *'^>*  i 


FACSIMILE    OF    PROSPECTUS    OF    THE    NORTH-WESTERN    VIRGINIA 

ACADEMY. 


356       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

lin,  son  of  Jepthah  F.  Randolph ;  and  Darius  King,  son  of 
Eliona  Davis ;  besides  Andrew  Judson,  son  of  Dr.  Lathrop 
R.  Charter,  a  leading  surgeon  and  physician  of  Doddridge 
County.  Neither  Dr.  Lathrop  R.  Charter  nor  his  son,  Andrew 
Judson,  was  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist.  The  first  named  of  these, 
Preston  F.  Randolph,  afterward  became  the  most  potent  edu- 
cational factor  which  has  ever  appeared  in  the  counties  of 
Harrison,  Doddridge,  and  Ritchie,  of  West  Virginia. 

Born  nearly  thirty  years  before  the  organisation  of  the 
public  school  system  in  that  locality,  he  was  taught  to  read  by 
his  older  brother  Waldo,  who  in  his  time  had,  along  with 
two  sisters  and  a  brother,  been  taught  by  their  father, 
who  often  conducted  a  school  in  his  own  home  during  the 
winter  for  his  own  children  and  those  of  his  neighbors.  The 
last  of  his  father's  schools  Preston  was  permitted  to  attend, 
but  he  was  not  allowed  to  take  part  in  the  class  recitations, 
owing  to  a  grave  defect  of  speech.  Nevertheless, 
he  carried  along  his  school  work,  especially  that  in  arithmetic, 
so  satisfactorily,  that  he  was  invited  to  teach  a  school  in  an 
adjoining  neighbourhood,  because  it  was  understood  that  he 
had  "ciphered  through  the  Rule  of  Three"  in  Pike's  Arithmetic 
— a  text  book  much  in  vogue  in  western  Virginia  in  those  days. 
He  next  attended  a  school  taught  near  home  by  his  older  sister 
Harriet.  Soon  after  that,  Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter 
arrived  to  open  the  proposed  academy  at  West  Union, 
and  Preston,  with  five  brothers  and  sisters,  was  sent  there. 
Here  he  was  kept  for  two  years,  when  a  lameness 
developed,  which  he  has  carried  ever  since.  In  the  hope  of  at 
least  arresting,  if  not  permanently  curing,  this  trouble,  he  was 
taken  out  of  school  at  West  Union  and  kept  at  home,  until 
April,  1855,  when,  in  company  with  his  brothers  Judson  and 
Silas,  and  his  sister  Esther,  he  started  for  Alfred,  New  York, 
to  attend  Alfred  Academy.  The  first  sixty  miles  of  the  jour- 
ney was  made  in  a  road  wagon  to  St.  Mary's  on  the  Ohio 
River.  The  remainder  of  the  distance  was  travelled  by  steam- 
boat and  railroad.  At  Alfred  the  brothers  and  sister  boarded 
themselves  at  a  total  expense  of  less  than  seventy  cents  a  week. 
Here  Preston  applied  himself  with  diligence,  and  despite 
the  fact  that  he  was  heavily  handicapped  physically,  in  a  year 
and  a  half  had  equipped  himself  for  teaching  district  schools. 


r-RESTON     FITZ     UANDOLril. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY 


357 


He  taught  for  two  consecutive  winters  at  Hebron,  Penn- 
sylvania; and  the  following  winter,  that  of  1859-60,  he  spent 
in  the  home  of  Rev.  Azor  Estee  at  Petersburgh,  New  York, 
teaching  the  latter's  son  James  A.,  and  pursuing  his  own  stu- 
dies. In  the  summer  time  he  busied  himself  as  a  peddler  in  the 
New  England  States,  especially  Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  and 
]\Iaine.  He  then  returned  to  Alfred,  where  he  graduated  in 
1862.  After  graduation,  he  continued  his  studies  at  Alfred 
for  a  short  time,  when  he  went  to  Quincy,  Franklin  County, 
Pennsylvania,  not  many  miles  from  Gettysburg,  to  teach  school. 
The  invasion  of  Lee's  army  closed  the  academy  at  Quincy, 
of  which  he  was  principal.  Here  he  was  visited  at  the  home 
of  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  by  Dr.  Isaiah  Bee,  a  surgeon  in  the  invad- 
ing army,  who  had  been  a  fellow  student  at  the  West  Union 
Academy  when  it  was  conducted  by  Azor  Estee.  Military 
operations  decided  him  to  return  home,  and  through  the  kind 
offices  of  his  friend,  Dr.  Bee,  he  was  enabled  to  pass  through 
the  Confederate  lines,  and  reach  home  by  way  of  Cumberland, 
Maryland,  over  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  after  an 
absence  from  home  of  nearly  seven  years. 

For  the  next  three  years,  he  was  engaged  for  the  most  of 
the  time  in  teaching  select,  or  subscription,  schools  in  New 
Salem  and  vicinity.  Free  schools  were  now  opening,  as  teachers 
could  be  found  for  them,  and  Preston  F.  Randolph  was  kept 
busy  for  nearly  twenty  years,  sometimes  teaching  thirteen 
school  months  of  twenty  days  each  in  a  year. 

Besides  the  select  schools,  previously  referred  to,  he 
taught  at  New  Salem  for  more  than  two  years,  and  during  one 
winter  at  the  home  of  his  brother-in-law,  Richard  Ford,  on 
Long  Run.  After  the  establishment  of  the  Free  School  Sys- 
tem, he  taught  two  years  at  West  Union ;  three  on  Buckeye 
Run,  and  on  Flint  Run ;  all  in  Doddridge  County :  two  and  a 
half  years  at  Berea  and  vicinity ;  two  years  at  Pennsboro ;  and 
SIX  months  at  Ellenboro ;  all  in  Ritchie  County.  The  rest  of  the 
twenty  years  was  spent  in  teaching  at  New  Salem  and  near-by 
points  in  the  western  part  of  Harrison  County.  During  all 
this  time,  he  fondly  cherished  in  his  heart  the  hope  that  he 
might  in  some  way  be  instrumental  in  realising  for  the  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptists  in  West  Virginia,  the  object  which  had  lain 
so  near  his  father's  heart  for  so  many  years ;  z'i::;.,  the  sue- 


358       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

cessful  establishment  of  a  denominational  academy.  While 
the  father's  objective  point  for  the  location  of  such  a  school  had 
been  West  Union,  that  of  the  son  was  New  Salem.  With 
the  assistance  of  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  who  was  at  that  time 
labouring  among  the  churches  of  West  Virginia,  under  the 
auspices  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  and 
others,  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  the  legislature  of  the 
state  of  West  V^irginia,  a  charter  for  an  independent  school 
district  at  New  Salem,  with  the  privilege  of  establishing  an 
academy.  A  graded  course  of  study  was  prepared  for  the  new 
school,  which  was  aided  financially  by  the  Peabody  Educa- 
tional Fund,  then  recently  established  for  the  aid  of  education 
in  the  south.  Until  a  suitable  school  building  could  be  erected, 
the  New  Salem  Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  was.  on  two  differ- 
ent occasions,  used  for  that  purpose.  Of  the  school  thus  estab- 
lished, Preston  F.  Randolph  had  charge  for  several  terms. 

Nor  were  his  efforts  confined  solely  to  secular  work.  He 
organised,  and  in  some  cases,  personally  conducted  success- 
fully, Sabbath  Schools  at  New  Salem  and  other  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  points  embraced  in  the  localities  where  he  taught. 

He  first  introduced  vocal  music  into  the  public  schools 
of  that  part  of  West  Mrginia,  and  for  several  years  he  and 
the  teachers  whom  he  trained  were  the  only  ones  who  had 
singing  in  their  schools. 

Not  the  least  important  phase  of  his  work  was  the  train- 
ing of  teachers  for  public  schools. 

With  the  establishment  of  the  state  of  West  Virginia 
in  1863,  a  public  school  system  was  organised,  and  teachers 
for  these  schools  were  in  great  demand.  Wherever  a  compe- 
tent teacher  was  found,  the  school  was  crowded,  not  only  with 
children,  but  with  adults  as  well.  It  was  not  at  all  unusual  to 
find,  in  a  single  school,  pupils  ranging  from  six-year-old 
children  to  men  upwards  of  thirty  years  of  age. 

Preston  F.  Randolph's  methods  were  not  only  novel  and 
striking  for  his  day  and  for  his  field  of  labour,  but  they  were 
paedagogically  good,  even  when  compared  with  the  best  stand- 
ards of  modern  education.  His  schools  were  normal  schools 
in  the  truest  sense.  The  work  was  spirited,  the  results  substan- 
tial, and  here  young  men  and  young  women  preparing  for 
teaching  learned,   truly  by   precept,  but   more   truly  by  the 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY  359 


SALEM,  HAEEISON  COUNTY,  WEST  VIEGINIA. 

PRESTON  F.  RANDOLPH,     -     PRINCIPAL. 

THREE  ASSISTANT  TEACHERS. 


Spring  Term  of  12  weeks  begins  Tuesday,  April  16th. 
Vacation  about  4  weeks. 

Fall  Term  of  12  weeks  begins  Monday,  August  5th. 
Winter  Term,  November  — 

Tuition  in  Common  School  branches,  $3  per  Term,  or  $1  25  per 
month. 

In  Higher  English,  Higher  Mathematics,  and  Languages,  $5  per 
Term. 

Incidentals,  50  cents  per  Term. 

Boarding  in  private  families.  $10  to  $16  per  month. 

The  Principal  will  take  parental  care  of  young  pupils  placed  in 
his  family  for  that  purpose. 

Will  be  organized  daring  the  Fall  Term,  for  the  special  training  of 
those  designing  to  teach.  C.  W.  Smith,  the  County  Superintendent, 
and  other  educators,  will  assist  in  this  Department,  by  lecturing,  etc. 
An  Exammation  of  Teacheis  will  be  held  by  the  Superintendent 
at  the  close  of  the  session. 

This  Institution  is  chartered  by  the  Legislature,  in  connection 
with  the  Graded  Schools  of  Salem,  which  receive  aid  from  the 
Peabody  Educational  Fund. 

:B0.^:FLID    OP^    EIDTJO-6k.TZOIsr. 

Silas  Fittbo,  )   ^ 

John  Flint,    |  Oommissioners. 

Db.  J.  L  F.  Randolph,  President. 
P.  F.  Randolph,  Secretary. 
Lloyd  F.  Randolph,   Treasurer. 


36o 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


concretest  of  concrete  examples,  how  teaching  should  be  done. 
They  in  turn,  went  forth  to  their  work  as  teachers  in  the  spirit 
of  their  professional  master. 

Of  the  more  successful  of  these  teachers  there  may  be 
mentioned,  Luther  F.  Randolph,  Davis  N.  Meredith,  Thomas 
H.  Lowther,  Stillman  F.  Lowther,  Thomas  B,  Pepper,  John 
H.  Benedum,  and  James  A.  Estee,  the  son  of  Rev.  Azor 
Estee. 

Among  those  of  the  pupils  of  Preston  F.  Randolph,  who 
became  teachers  and  then  clergymen,  were  his  brother  Lewis 
F.  Randolph,  besides  Gideon  Henry  F.  Randolph,  Experience 
F.  Randolph,  (now  Mrs.  Perie  R.  Burdick),  Boothe  Col  well 
Davis,  and  Samuel  Hoffman  Davis,  all  of  whom  are  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  clergymen.  Besides  these,  there  were  several 
teachers  who  afterward  become  clergymen  of  other  denomi- 
nations, particularly  the  Baptist. 

NAMES  OF   PRINCIPALS  AND   STUDENTS. 

The  following  is  an  incomplete  list  of  names  of  students 
who  attended  West  Union  Academy  under  the  following  prin- 
cipals : — 

Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter,  of  Scott,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  Azor  Estee,  of  Petersburgh,  N.  Y. 

Daniel  Maxson  Burdick,  of  Little  Genesee,  N.  Y. 

west  union. 


Names  of 
Parents. 

Names   of  Students.^ 

Post  OMce  Address  of 
Students    at    present, 
or  at  time  of  decease. 

BEE. 
Ephraim 
and 
Catharine. 

Louise    (/),   mar. 
John  Smith, 

Knight,  W.  Va. 

BOND. 
Ethelbert  D. 
and 
Mary  Davis. 

William    (/), 

Irvin,  (rf). 
Nathan  (/), 

Williamstown, 

W.  Va. 
Parkersburg,  W.  Va. 
Parkersburg,  W.  Va. 

CHARTER. 
Lathrop  R.,  M.D. 
and 

Andrew  Judson,  (/), 

Ravenswood,  W.  Va. 

I.     /,    living;    d,    dead;    h,    unknown. 


THOMAS    H.    LOWTHER.  STILLMAN    F.    LOWTHER. 

LUTHER    F.    RANDOLPH. 

DAVLS    N.    MEREDITH.  THOMAS    B.    PEPPER. 

(A  group  of  Preston  F.   Randolph's  students). 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY 


361 


Names  of 
Parents. 


DAVIS. 


Names    of    Students. 


Post  Office  Address  of 
Students  at  present, 
or  at  time  of  decease. 


Alfred 

Franklin    Maxwell 

and 

(/). 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Rebecca  Davis. 

Tacy  Jane  (/),  mar. 

A  irTC? 

Jeriel  Sutton, 

Blandville,  W.  Va. 

AVIS. 
Benjamin  L. 

Rachel      (d),     mar. 

,   Lewis   Co.,   W. 

and 

—  Boyles, 

Va. 

Nancy  Brown. 

A  VTQ 

i\\  10. 

Eliona 

Ehud  Johnson  (/), 

Leroy,  Kan. 

and 

Darius  King  (/), 

Milton  Junction,  Wis. 

Sophia  Davis. 

Irving   Pindle   Cha- 

PIN   (/), 

Texarkana,  Ark. 

Delila  Chapman 

(d), 

Emporia,  Kan. 

Amy   (/),  mar.   Wil- 

liam J.   Ott, 

Gardner,  Kan. 

Alpheus  Martin 

(d), 

Alton,  111. 

Thomas  Benton 

(0. 

Emporia,  Kan. 

Mary  Tacy,  (/),  mar. 

Guy  K.  Butler, 

Vallego,  Cal. 

DAVIS. 

Hezekiah 
and 
Statira  Davis. 

DAVIS. 

John  S. 
and 

Esther     F.    Ran- 
dolph. 


DAVIS. 

Phineas 
and 

Rhulanah  F. 
Randolph. 


Emza  Jane  (d), 
mar.  —  Williams, 


Lewis  Townsend 

Caroline  (d), 
Elisabeth   (d), 
Emily   (d),  mar. 
Hiram  Jennings, 

Charles   Christo- 
pher (/), 


West  Union,  W.  Va. 


West  Union,  W.  Va. 
West  Union,  W.  Va. 
West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Moberly,  Mo. 


Harrisville,  W.  Va. 


362       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Names  of 

Names  of  Students. 

Post  Office  Address  of 

Parents. 

Students    at    present, 
or  at  time  of  decease. 

ESTEE. 

AZOR 

Charles  B.  (/), 

Gibson  City,  111. 

and 

Betsey  Brown. 

GARNER. 

John 

Isaiah   (d), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

and 

Sarah   Ann 

r   WiL- 

LIAMS. 

INGLE. 

Jacob,  M.D. 

Salina  (/), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

and 

Arthur  (/), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Mahala   Rachel. 

William   (rf"), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

JEFFREY. 

Joseph 

Robert  Ale.kander 

and 

id), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Tacy  Davis. 

Content  Ann    (d), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Benoni  Israel  (rf), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Clarissa     {d),    mar. 

Michael  Bash, 

Auburn,  W.  Va. 

Sophia  Ann  (rf), 

mar.    John    Wesley 

Longacre, 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Louise  (d"*, 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

Stillman   {d). 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

KNIGHT. 

Taliaffero 

K. 

Blackwell    {d), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

and 

Elisabeth 

HOLU- 

LEWIN. 


William 
and 
Eliza  . 

Amanda     (d),    mar. 
Robert     Alexander 
Jeffrey, 

MacJUNKIN. 

Joshua 
and 

F.t.tsabeth  («), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 


STEPHEN   THOMAS    WEST   POTTER. 


i).\\Ii:i.    MAXSOX    I'.URDICK. 


AZOK    ESTEE. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY 


363 


Names  of 
Parents. 


MAHANY. 
William 
and 


MANEER.     (Keeper 
of  the  county  jail). 

MAULSBY. 
Law  SON 

and 
Tabitha  Ogden. 


RANDOLPH. 

Samuel  Preston 
F. 
and 
Hannah   Davis. 

SOUTHWORTH. 
Enoch   B. 
and 
Mary  Ann  Child- 

ERS. 

STUART. 
Chapman  J. 
and 
Elisabeth. 


Names  of  Students.       Post  Office  Address  of 
Students  at  present,  or 
at  time  of  decease. 


West  Union,  W.  Va. 


Charles   {d). 


-(a  boy)    (m), 


Amelia  Charlotte 
(/),  mar.  Noah 
Hetrick,  Ada,   O. 

Mary  Lethe   (/), 
mar.     John     John- 
son, West  Union,  W.  Va. 


Virginia  F.  (/),  mar. 
Alfred    Jennings,  Parkersburg,   W.   Va. 


Sophia    {d),  West  Union,  W.  Va. 

George        Washing- 
ton   (/),  West  Union,  W.  Va. 


Anna    (/),  mar.   Dr. 
Dougherty, 


111. 


RANDOLPH. 

Jesse  F. 
and 
Eliza  Gillis. 

RANDOLPH. 
Peter  F. 

and 
Maria     MacVicar. 


NEW    SALEM. 


Lloyd  F.   {d),  Salem,  W.  Va. 

Elisabeth      F.      (/), 

mar.    Rev.    Samuel 

D.   Davis,  Jane  Lew,  W.  Va. 

Madison     MacVicar 

F.   (/),  Rockford,  W.  Va. 

Daniel  F.   (d),  Salem,  W.  Va. 


364       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Names  of 
Parents. 


RANDOLPH. 

Phineas  F. 
and 
Marvel  Maxson, 

RANDOLPH. 

John    LaForge    F. 
M.D., 
and 
Experience  Brown, 


RANDOLPH. 

William   F. 
and 
Mary  Davis. 


Names   of   Students. 


Post  Office  Address  of 

Students  at  present,  or 

at  time  of  decease. 


BEE. 

JOSIAH 

and 
Priscilla  Davis. 

RANDOLPH. 

Jepthah   F. 
and 
Deborah    Sutton. 


DAVIS. 

Col.  D.wid  D. 
and 

Anna  Davis. 


Phineas    Chapin    F. 


Tacy  Jane  F.    (d), 


GREENBRIER. 


Ezra  F.    (d), 
Esther  F.   (d),  mar. 

LeRoy    Burdick, 
Silas    F.    (/), 
JUDSON    F.    (/), 
Preston    F.    (/), 
Jethro  F.    (d), 
Zipporah    Elisabeth, 

(d),   mar.    Leander 

Place. 

NEW    MILTON. 


Isaiah   (/), 


Franklin  F.    (/), 
Rachel  F.   (d),  mar. 

Johnson     J.     Low- 

ther, 

BUCKEYE    RUN. 


Judith       (/),      mar. 
Jonathan    Traugh, 

Morris,  N.   (d), 


Salem,    W.    Va. 


Greenbrier,   W.   Va. 

Hebron,   Pa. 
Riverside,   Cal. 
Salem,  W.  Va. 
Salem,  W.  Va. 
Alfred,  N.  Y. 


Hebron,  Pa. 
Princeton,    W.    Va. 

New  Milton,  W.  Va. 
New  Milton,  W.  Va. 


Middlebourne, 

Va. 
Numan,  W.  Va. 


W. 


WEST  UNION  ACADEMY 


36s 


Names  of 

Names  of  Students. 

Post  Office  Address  of 

Parents. 

Students    at    present, 
or  at  time  of  decease. 

DAVIS. 

LoDowicK   Hughes 

Silas  Carder  (rf), 

Salem,  W.  Va. 

and 

Margaret  Davis. 

FORD. 

Albert 

Hamilton    (/), 

Numan,  W.  Va. 

and 

Elisabeth    (/),   mar. 

Rhulanah    Davis. 

Elisha  Stoneking, 

Booker,  W.  Va. 

TATE. 

William 

Sarah    (d),  mar.  A. 

and 

J.  Hickman, 
ROCK   RUN. 

- 

DAVIS. 

William  John- 

Gamble Shannon 

son 

(d), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

("Rock  Run 

Samull  Preston 

Billy") 

(d), 

West  Union,  W.  Va. 

and 

William  Granville 

Experience  Thorp. 

(/), 

HUGHES    RIVER. 

Sugar  Camp,  W.  Va. 

■BEE. 

Asa 

Zebulon   (d), 

Bolair,  W.  Va. 

and 

Abigail  A.  (d),  mar. 

Hannah    Maxson. 

Daniel  Nay, 

Pullman,  W.  Va. 

Asa  Jr.  (/), 

South  Lancaster, 
Mass. 

FLINT   RUN. 

DAVIS. 

William   F. 

Emily  Virginia  (d), 

("Flint  Billy") 

mar.     Rev.     James 

and 

B.  Davis. 

Salem,  W.  Va. 

Rachel  Hughes. 

Dudley  Hughes 

(d), 

Quiet  Dell,  W.  Va. 

MEAT  HOUSE  FORK. 

DAVIS. 

Stephen  Thorp 

Francis  Marion  (0, 

Buckhannon,  W.  Va. 

and 

Elisabeth  Jeffrey. 

366       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Names  of 

Names  of  Students. 

Post  Office  Address  of 

Parents. 

LOST  CREEK. 

Students    at    present, 
or  at  time  of  decease. 

DAVIS. 

Jacob 

Abigail        Hoffman 

and 

(d),    mar.    Reuben 

Sarah    Hoffman. 

Hevener, 

Robinson's  fork. 

Roanoke,   W.  Va. 

BONNELL. 

Charles 

Lehman  (rf), 

and 

BONE  CREEK. 

HALL. 

Elisha 

Lawson   (/), 

Auburn,  W.  Va. 

and 

Susannah    Thorp. 

UNKNOWN. 

WILLIAMS. 

Emily   (d), 

and 

XXVI. 


SALEM  COLLEGE. 


VER  since  the   inauguration   of  the 


movement  which  resulted  in  the 
estabhshment  of  the  ill-fated  West 
Union  Academy,  it  had  been  the 
dream  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists 
of  western  Virginia  to  have  a 
denominational  school  maintained 
in  their  midst. 

After  the  final  dissolution  of 
the  West  Union  Academy,  the  vil- 
lage of  New  Salem,  by  common  consent,  was  fixed  upon  as 
the  site  of  the  future  school ;  and  many  of  those  connected 
with  the  West  Union  Academy  laboured  and  hoped, 
incessantly,  for  the  realisation  of  this  dream. 

Preston  F.  Randolph,  in  all  his  educational  work  in 
West  Virginia,  held  this  thought  uppermost  in  his  mind, 
and  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  from  the  time  he  began  his 
duties  as  a  general  missionary  among  the  West  Virginia 
churches  in  1870,  looked  forward  with  anxiety  to  the  time 
when  that  hope   would  be   fulfilled. 

So  confident  was  he  of  the  success  of  such  a  movement, 
that  after  four  years  service  as  a  missionary,  he  resigned  that 
work  and  opened  a  select  school  at  New  Salem,  doubting  noth- 
ing that  it  would  soon  become  a  permanent  school,  of  the 
grade  of  an  academy.  This  school  was  opened  in  April,  1875. 
At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association, 
held  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  May  28,  1874,  the  question 
of  a  denominational  school  had  been  especially  prominent. 
But  it  was  not  deemed  wise  for  the  association  to  move  in  the 
matter.     The  select  school  started  in  the  following  spring  by 


368       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Rev,  Charles  A.  Burdick,  was  undertaken,  however,  upon  the 
assurance  of  financial  assistance  from  private  sources.  The 
business  depression  prevalent  throughout  the  country,  rapidly 
grew  worse,  and  the  expected  aid  failed  to  materialise, 
although  the  school  was  a  distinct  success  in  attendance  and 
in  the  quality  of  work  done ;  for  it  was  well  patronised  by  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptists  throughout  the  association,  with  a  gen- 
erous representation  of  non-Sabbath-keepers. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  with  his  wife,  and  Miss  Adelle 
M.  Whitford,  of  Utica,  Wisconsin,  composed  the  teaching 
staff.  The  meeting  house  of  the  Xew  Salem  Church  was  used 
as  a  school  building,  it  being  expected  that  in  a  short  time  a 
suitable  building  would  be  erected  for  the  school.  After  con- 
ducting this  school  through  the  spring  and  summer  of  1875, 
it  was  abandoned,  for  several  reasons,  principally  for  lack  of 
funds  for  the  erection  of  a  school  building,  Mr,  and  Mrs, 
Burdick  taught  in  the  public  school  in  the  village  of  Rock- 
ford,  on  Lost  Creek,  the  following  winter,  as  they  had  done 
the  preceding  winter ;  and  in  the  summer  of  1876,  assisted 
again  by  Miss  Whitford,  they  taught  a  select  school  at  Rock- 
ford.  Mr.  Burdick  then  abandoned  his  attempts  to  establish 
a  denominationl  school  in  West  Virginia.^ 

Terence  M.  Davis,  a  son  of  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  and 
afterward  a  professor  in  Alfred  University,  hoped  that 
upon  his  graduation  from  Alfred,  in  1881,  he  might  establish 
an  academy  at  New  Salem,  He  carried  his  plans  so  far  as 
the  designing  of  the  necessary  buildings,  to  be  erected  on 
grounds  adjoining  his  father's  home  in  Xew  Salem,  But  his 
disappointment  was  destined  to  be  added  to  the  growing 
catalogue  of  unsuccessful  attempts  to  establish  a  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  school  in  West  Virginia, 

Nevertheless,  events  soon  began  to  shape  themselves  so 
as  to  force  the  issue.  The  principal  cause  of  immediate  anxiety 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  of  the  rapidly  increasing  number  of 
young  people  who  were  going  away  to  Alfred  University, 
very  few  returned  to  make  their  homes  in  West  Virginia  after 
graduation. 

It  should  be  remembered,  also,  that  as  already  intimated 


I.    A  history  of  this  school,  written  by  Rev.  Charles  A.  Burdick,  may  be  found  in 
The  Sabbath  Recorder,  under  date  of  March  5,  1891. 
(23) 


(A    ^ronp    ,,,    Charles    A.    \',uuhck\    Mndnu.    at    New    Salon) 


SALEM  COLLEGE  369 

in  the  preceding  chapter  on  the  West  Union  Academy,  the 
essential  cause  of  the  decay  of  that  institution  was  its  faikire 
to  pay  cash  dividends  on  its  stock,  a  faihire  which  was  not 
soon  forgotten,  and  which,  to  a  great  extent,  deterred  men  of 
means  from  investing  money  in  a  denominational  school  after 
that  time.  In  other  words,  the  financial  side  of  such  a  school 
was  considered  in  the  light  of  the  probable  material  profits 
which  it  would  yield,  and  the  failure  of  the  West  Union 
Academy  was  a  very  discouraging  example. 

Events  now  transpired  which  deeply  interested  several 
of  the  prominent  business  men  of  Salem,  and  the  establishment 
of  Salem  College  resulted. 

In  this  connection,  it  may  be  interesting  to  note  that  at 
the  annual  session  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  General  Con- 
ference, held  with  the  church  at  Salem,  in  August,  1890, 
the  largest  share-holder  of  the  capital  stock  of  Salem  College, 
declared  that  up  to  that  time  his  stock  in  the  college  had 
yielded  the  largest  financial  returns  of  any  investment  he  had 
ever  made. 

The  immediate  events  resulting  in  the  establishment  of 
Salem  College  may  be  briefly  sketched  as  follows : — 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  General  Conference  of  the 
state  of  West  Virginia,  at  its  annual  session  in  1886,  deter- 
mined to  establish  a  seminary  of  learning  for  young  people 
of  both  sexes  somewhere  within  the  state,  and  announced 
that  it  would  be  established  in  or  near  the  city  or  town 
offering  the  most  acceptable  inducements,  financial  and  other- 
wise. 

In  the  hope  of  securing  the  location  of  the  seminary  at 
Salem,  the  citizens  of  that  village  and  immediate  vicinity, 
pledged  for  that  purpose,  a  sum  aggregating,  in  round  num- 
bers, forty  thousand  dollars  ($40,000.00).  Their  efforts  were 
not  successful,  however,  as  the  Methodist  Episcopal  General 
Conference  finally  fixed  upon  the  village  of  Buckhannon,  as 
the   site  of  the   seminary. 

This  fruitless  effort,  however,  showed  that  the  oppor- 
tunity to  secure  the  long-desired  Seventh  Day  Baptist  secondary 
school  was  at  hand ;  for  if  such  a  sum  could  be  raised  for  the 
establishment  of  a  Methodist  school,  surely  enough  could  be 


370      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

raised  to  establish  a  good  Seventh  Day  Baptist  school  upon  a 
solid  conservative  basis. 

At  the  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  held  with 
the  Ritchie  Church  at  Berea,  beginning  May  26,  1887,  the  asso- 
ciation took  the  following  action : — 

"We  would  heartily  encourage  and  seek  to  have  a  school  within 
the  bounds  of  our  association,  in  which  our  young  people  may  be 
thoroughly  prepared  to  enter  college." 

In  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  this  action,  a  committee, 
consisting  of  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  and 
Rev.  Henry  B.  Lewis,  was  appointed  "to  canvass  the  matter 
and  take  such  steps  as  they  may  find  practicable,  looking  to 
the  establishment  of  a  school  in  the  bounds  of  the  association, 
in  which  our  young  people  may  be  thoroughly  prepared  to 
enter  college." 

At  the  next  annual  session  of  the  association,  held  with 
the  church  at  Lost  Creek,  beginning  May  24,  1888,  this  com- 
mittee reported  as  follows : — 

"i.  That  we  are  fully  satisfied  that  the  time  has  come  when  the 
demand  is  such  that  we  ought  to  have  such  a  school. 

''2.     That  Salem  is  a  good  place  for  its  location. 

"3.  We  are  of  the  opinion  that  sufficient  money  could  be  raised 
within  the  bounds  of  this  association  to  secure  the  grounds  and  erect 
such  buildings  as  would  be  suitable  for  present  use. 

"4.  We  recommend  that  a  committee  be  appointed  which  shall 
take  steps  at  once  to  ascertain  the  amount  that  can  be  raised  by  sub- 
scriptions; and  if  a  sufficient  amount  can  be  secured,  so  that  no  debts 
should  be  incurred,  to  make  the  needed  arrangements,  and  secure  a 
suitable  location,  and  erect  the  buildings." 

The  report  of  the  committee  was  adopted,  and  the  com- 
mittee which  they  recommended  was  appointed  as  follows : — 
Rev.  John  L.  Huffman,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  Jesse  F.  Ran- 
dolph, George  W.  F.  Randolph,  Charles  N.  Maxson,  Ethelbert 
J.  Davis,  Franklin  F.  Randolph,  Flavius  J.  Ehret,  and  Samuel 
D.  Bond. 

At  its  annual  session  held  in  connection  with  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  General  Conference  at  Leonardsville,  New  York, 
August  24,  1888,  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society 
adopted  the  following  resolution : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  have  learned  with  approval  of  the  efforts 
of  our  people  in  the  South-Eastern  Association,  to  establish  a  college 
preparatory  school  at  New   Salem,  West  Virginia;   that  we  recognise 


SALEM  COLLEGE  37 1 

the  need  of  the  special  training  which  such  an  institution  can  furnish 
to  the  youth  of  that  body;  and  that  we  earnestly  trust  sufficient  ac- 
commodations will  soon  be  provided  for  the  favourable  opening  and  the 
successful  maintenance  of  this  school." 

In  the  meantime  the  committee  appointed  by  the  asso- 
ciation was  proceeding  with  its  work,  which  moved  along  so 
satisfactorily  that  on  the  28th  of  December,  1888,  a  charter 
for  Salem  Academy  was  issued  by  the  secretary  of  the  state 
of  West  Virginia,  as  will  be  observed  from  the  following: — 
"CERTIFICATE  OF  INCORPORATION. 

"state  of  west  VIRGINIA. 
"SALEM    ACADEMY. 

"I,  Henry  S.  Walker,  Secretary  of  the  State  of  West  Virginia, 
hereby  certify  that  an  agreement  duly  acknowledged  and  accompanied 
by  the  proper  affidavits  has  been  this  day  delivered  to  me,  which  agree- 
ment is  in  the  words  and  figures  following : — 

"The  undersigned  agree  to  become  a  corporation  by  the  name  of 
SALEM  ACADEMY  to  be  subject  to  the  regulations  of  the  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Educational  Society,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  real 
estate  in  Salem,  Harrison  County,  West  Virginia,  and  erecting  a 
building  or  buildings  thereon  in  which  to  establish  an  ACADEMY,  and 
so  soon  as  the  financial  condition  and  circumstances  will  warrant, 
a  COLLEGE ;  and  for  the  purpose  of  teaching  therein  and  thereat  all 
the  various  branches  of  learning  composing  a  thorough  academic  and 
collegiate  course ;  and  of  awarding  diplomas  to  students  who  may 
pass  the  requisite  examination  upon  the  various  branches  of  learning 
taught  therein ;  and  for  the  diffusion  of  knowledge  incident  to  insti- 
tutions of  like  kind.  Which  corporation  shall  keep  its  principal 
office,  or  place  of  business,  at  Salem  in  the  County  of  Harrison  and 
State  of  West  Virginia ;  and  is  to  expire  on  the  20th  day  of 
November,  1938. 

"And  for  the  purpose  of  forming  the  said  corporation,  we  have 
subscribed  the  sum  of  two  thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to 
the  capital  thereof,  and  have  paid  in  on  said  subscription,  the  sum  of 
two  hundred  and  fifteen  dollars ;  and  desire  the  privilege  of  increasing 
the  said  capital  by  the  sale  of  additional  shares  from  time  to  time  to 
the  sum  of  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  all. 

"The  capital  so  subscribed  is  divided  into  shares  of  twenty-five 
dollars  each,  which  are  held  by  the  undersigned,  respectively,  as 
follows,  that  is  to  say : — 

"By  G.  W.  F.  Randolph,  Salem,  W.  Va.  Forty       shares, 

"By  Jesse  F.  Randolph,  Salem,  W.  Va.,  Twenty   shares, 

"By  L.  B.  Davis,  Salem,  W.  Va.,  One  share, 

"By  F.  M.  Swiger,  Salem,  W.  Va.,  Two         shares, 

"By  A.  S.  Childers,  Salem,  W.  Va.,  Four        shares, 


Four 

shares, 

Four 

shares, 

One 

share, 

One 

share, 

Four 

shares. 

One 

share, 

Two 

shares. 

Two 

shares. 

372      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

"By  J.  L.  Huffman,  Lost  Creek,  W.  Va., 
"By  Chas.  N.  Maxson,  Lost  Creek,  W.  Va., 
"By  Ernest  Randolph,  Salem,  VV.  Va., 
"By  Uric  F.  Randolph,  Salem,  W.  Va., 
"By  Lloyd  F.  Randolph,  Salem,  W.  Va., 
"By  C.  M.  Randolph,  Salem,  W.  Va., 
"By  Jas.  N.  David,  Salem,  W.  Va., 
"By  Hiram  Wilson,  Salem,  W.  Va., 
"And  the  capital  to  be  hereafter  sold  is  to  be  divided  into  shares 
of  the  like  amount. 

"Given   under   our   hands,   this   20th   day  of   November,    1888. 
"G.  W.  F.  Randolph, 
"Jesse  F.  Randolph, 
"L.   B.   Davis, 
"F.    M.    SwiGER, 
"A.  S.  Childers, 
"J.  L.  Huffman, 
"Chas.  N.  Maxson, 
"Ernest  Randolph, 
"Uric  F.  Randolph, 
"Lloyd  F.  Randolph, 
"C.  M.  Randolph, 
"James  N.  David, 
"Hiram  Wilson. 
"WHEREFORE,  The  incorporators  named  in  the  said  agreement, 
and  who  have  signed  the  same,  and  their  successors  and  assigns,  are 
hereby  declared  to  be  from  this  date  until  the  20th  day  of  November, 
1938,  a  corporation,  by  the  name,  and  for  the  purpose  set  forth  in  said 
agreement. 

"GIVEN  under  my  hand  and  the  Great  Seal  of  the  said  State,  at 
the  City  of  Charleston,  this  the  twenty-eighth  day  of  December, 
eighteen   hundred  and   eighty-eight. 

"Henry  S.  Walker, 
[l.  s.]  "Secretary  of  State." 

The  charter  was  amended  afterward  so  as  change  the 
name  from  salem  academy  to  s.\lem  college,  in  accordance 
with  a  vote  of  the  stockholders  of  the  corporation,  as  will 
be  observed  from  the  following  certificate  of  the  Secretary 
of  State: — 

"State  of  West  Virginia, 
"OMce  of  Secretary  of  State. 
"I,  WM.  A.  OHLEY,  Secretary  of  State  of  the  State  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, do  hereby  certify  that  J.  F.  RANDOLPH,  President  of  SALEM 
ACADEMY,  a  corporation  created  under  the  laws  of  this  State,  has 
this  day  certified  to  me  under  his  signature  and  the  corporate  seal  of 


TESSE  FITZ  RANDOLPH. 


SALEM  COLLEGE 


373 


said  corporation,  that  at  a  regular  meeting  of  the  stockholders  thereof, 
held  in  pursuance  of  law,  on  the  loth  day  of  June,  a.  d.  1890,  and  at 
which  meeting  a  majority  of  the  capital  stock  thereof  was  represented 
by  the  holders  thereof  in  person  or  by  proxy,  the  following  resolution 
was  unanimously  adopted  : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  the  corporation  known  as  SALEM  ACAD- 
EMY be  changed  to,  and  from  this  time  hence,  be  known  as,  SALEM 
COLLEGE,  and  that  any  and  all  necessary  legal  steps  be  taken  to 
constitute  the  same  a  college  in  conformity  to  the  charter  of  said 
institution,  granted  by,  and  in  conformity  with,  the  laws  of  West 
Virginia,  on  the  28th  day  of  December,  a.  d.  1888, — 

"WHEREFORE,  I  do  declare  said  change  of  name  of  SALEM 
ACADEMY  to  SALEM  COLLEGE,  as  set  forth  in  the  foregoing 
resolution,  to  be  authorised  by  law. 

"GIVEN  under  my  hand  and  the  Great  Seal  of  the  said  State,  at 
the  City  of  Charleston,  this  sixteenth  day  of  August,  1890. 

"Wm.  a.  Ohley, 
[l.   s.]  "Secretary  of  State." 

"State  of  West  Virginia, 

"Office  of  the  Clerk  of  Harrison  County  Court,  August  28,   1890. 
Be  it  remembered.  That  this  writing  was  this  day  duly  admitted 
to  record  in  this  office. 

''Attest:  James  Monroe,  Clerk." 

Acting  under  the  provisions  of  the  charter,  the  incor- 
porators organised  on  the  21st  of  January,  1889,  and  arranged 
for  opening  the  academy  in  the  following  spring,  using  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  church  at  Salem,  which  had  so  often 
already  served  as  a  school  building,  as  temporary  quarters. 
At  the  annual  session  of  the  South-Eastern  Association  held 
with  the  church  at  Salem  in  May  of  that  year,  the  committee 
appointed  the  previous  year,  to  act  in  behalf  of  a  school, 
reported  that  they  had  secured  pledges  to  the  amount  of 
four  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-six  dollars  ($4,866.00), 
including  a  tract  of  five  acres  of  land  valued  at  one  thousand 
dollars  ($1,000.00),  at  the  west  end  of  the  village  of  Salem, 
and  that  a  contract  had  been  let  for  the  erection  of  a  two-story 
frame  building,  forty-five  feet  by  sixty  feet,  at  a  cost  which 
would  be  covered  by  the  subscriptions,  the  building  to  be 
completed  by  the  middle  of  the  following  November ;  and  that 
a  term  of  school  was  already  in  successful  operation,  with 
Rev.  John  L.  Huffman  as  acting  principal. 

The  report  of  "Salem  Academy  and  College"  to  the  Sev- 


374 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


enth  Day  Baptist  Education  Society,  at  its  annual  session  in 
August,  1889,  announced  that  "It  is  the  purpose  of  the  institu- 
tion to  give  instruction  in  Preparatory,  Academic,  and  Col- 
legiate courses." 

The  report  further  announced  that  Rev.  Sanford  Lafay- 
ette Maxson,  A.  M.,  B.  D.,  was  the  principal,  and  that  such 
assistants  as  might  be  needed  would  be  engaged  for  the  ensu- 
ing year. 

Up  to  this  time,  the  three  men  who  had  contributed  most 
to  the  success  of  the  enterprise,  were  Rev.  John  L.  Huffman, 
George  W.  F.  Randolph,  and  Jesse  F.  Randolph.  Rev.  John 
L.  Huffman,  by  his  spirited  leadership  and  organising  ability, 
created  a  most  healthful  spirit  throughout  the  association  in 
favour  of  the  school,  and  served  as  the  general  promoter  of  the 
enterprise.  George  W.  F.  Randolph  and  Jesse  F.  Randolph, 
two  prominent  business  men  of  Salem,  besides  devoting  time 
without  stint,  contributed  most  generously  to  the  treasury  of 
the  academy.  The  former  was  the  largest  subscriber,  and 
the  latter  the  second  largest.  Jesse  F.  Randolph  was  made 
president  of  the  corporation  at  the  time  of  its  organisation 
and  with  the  exception  of  but  one  year,  he  has  served  in 
that   capacity  continuously   up  to  the  present  time. 

In  the  fall  of  1889,  the  term  opened  under  the  leadership 
of  Rev.  Sanford  Lafayette  Alaxson,  who  had  recently  resigned 
a  position  as  principal  of  the  Albion  Academy  at  Albion,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  had  won  for  himself  an  enviable  reputation  in 
secondary  school  work.  He  was  re-enforced  by  two 
competent  assistants  in  the  regular  work  of  the  academy, 
besides  one  teacher  in  each  of  the  three  special  departments 
of  music,  business,  and  art.  To  these  were  added  two  special 
lecturers  in  physiology,  anatomy,  and  hygiene.  The  enroll- 
ment for  the  year  was  one  hundred  and  sixty  (160). 

The  next  year,  the  name  of  the  institution  had  been 
changed  from  that  of  Salem  Academy  to  that  of  Salem 
College,  and  there  were  in  attendance  during  the  academic 
year,  six  or  more  young  men  who  anticipated  entering  the 
the  Gospel  ministry. 

At  the  close  of  the  academic  year  of  1891-1892,  Rev. 
Sanford  L.  Maxson  retired  from  the  presidency  of  the  col- 
lege, and  Rev.  Theodore  Livingston  Gardiner,  A.  M.,  B.  D., 


GKORGE    WASHINGTON    l-'JTZ    RANDOLPH. 


SALEM  COLLEGE  375 

was  elected  to  succeed  him.  President  Gardiner,  as  well  as 
President  Maxson,  was  a  graduate  of  Alfred  University ;  the 
former  of  the  class  of  '74,  the  latter  of  the  class  of  '85. 

President  Gardiner,  at  the  time  of  his  election  to  his  new 
office,  was  the  pastor  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at 
Salem,  and  accepted  the  presidency  with  reluctance,  because 
he  had  had  no  previous  experience  in  such  work,  besides  being 
very  fond  of  his  church  work. 

Nevertheless,  he  threw  himself  into  his  new  duties  with 
energy  and  enthusiasm,  and  with  a  perseverance  born  of  a 
determination  to  succeed,  however  great  the  cost. 

From  the  beginning,  he  succeeded,  and  it  was  but  a  short 
time  until  it  was  apparent  that  he  was  the  right  man  in  the 
right  place. 

In  addition  to  his  new  and  laborious  duties  of  teaching  in 
the  class  room,  was  added  that  of  securing  the  necessary  funds 
from  year  to  year  with  which  to  make  up  the  annual  deficiency 
which  averaged  about  two  thousand  dollars  ($2,000.00).  In 
this  he  was  fully  as  successful  as  in  his  other  work,  although  it 
was  a  great  strain  upon  him. 

In  its  report  to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society 
for  the  year  ending  June  17,  1902,  the  college  reported  a  debt 
on  a  new  building  of  a  little  upwards  of  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  ($750.00),  with  but  two  hundred  dollars 
($200.00)  of  unpaid  bills  besides.  To  oflfset  the  latter  item, 
the  college  held  unpaid  subscriptions  sufficient  to  cover  it. 

The  resources  of  the  college  consisted  of  the  college 
campus  and  adjoining  grounds  of  five  acres,  with  two  good 
buildings,  besides  a  valuable  library,  together  with  a  gener- 
ous equipment  of  apparatus  for  teaching  physics  and  chem- 
istry, and  an  extensive  collection  of  specimens  for  work  in 
natural  history. 

In  addition,  the  college  held  permanent  productive  funds 
aggregating  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  ($250.00). 

This  was  a  magnificent  showing  for  the  thirteen  years; 
of  the  history  of  the  college,  ten  years  of  which  had  been 
under  the  leadership  of  President  Gardiner. 

In  recognition  of  his  successful  career  in  church  and 
educational  work,  his  Alma  Mater,  Alfred  University,  con- 


2;j(S      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

ferred  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  upon  President  Gardi- 
ner, at  its  annual  commencement  in  June,  1899. 

For  a  time,  the  special  departments  were  as  prosperous 
as  any  departments  of  the  college.  In  1890-1891,  the  subjects 
of  telegraphy,  and  stenography  and  typewriting  were  added 
to  the  curriculum  of  the  commercial  department.  After  a 
few  years,  however,  the  interest  in  some  of  these  departments 
began  to  decline.  At  the  end  of  the  year  1892- 1893,  several 
subjects  were  dropped  from  the  commercial  department,  and 
a  year  afterwards,  the  department  was  wholly  abandoned, 
the  college  taking  the  position  that  that  department  was 
detrimental  to  the  best  interests  of  the  institution.  At  the 
same  time  that  the  commercial  department  was  dropped, 
the  art  department  was  likewise  abandoned,  for  similar 
reasons.  The  music  department  has  continued,  however, 
doing  satisfactory  work  to  the  present  time. 

In  order  to  accommodate  the  growing  needs  of  the  col- 
lege a  new  building,  twenty  feet  by  thirty-four  feet,  was 
erected  during  the  year  1900- 1901  at  a  cost  of  eight  hundred 
and  nine  dollars  and  twenty  cents    ($809.20). 

The  work  to  which  Salem  College  has,  for  the  most  part, 
devoted  itself  since  it  was  first  established,  has  been  that  of 
equipping  and  training  teachers  for  the  public  schools  of 
West  Virginia, 

So  successfully  has  this  work  been  done,  that  now  all 
students  of  Salem  College  completing  the  prescribed  course 
for  that  purpose,  are  awarded  a  state  licence  to  teach,  upon 
the  same  basis  as  the  graduates  of  the  normal  schools  of  the 
state,  and  of  West  Virginia  University. 

Moreover,  the  administrative  officers  of  the  public  schools 
of  the  county  of  Harrison,  and  several  neighbouring  coun- 
ties, have  received  their  training  in  Salem  College. 

The  gratifying  success  of  the  college  has  been  dependent 
upon  its  normal  work  more  than  any  other ;  and  that,  too, 
despite  the  fact  that  the  state  normal  schools  and  the  state 
university  are  maintained  at  the  expence  of  the  public  treas- 
ury of  the  state,  and  consequently  are  able  to  ofifer  free  tuition 
as  well  as  other  attractive  inducements ;  while  Salem  College, 
receiving   no    revenues,    whatever,    from    public    sources,    and 


ESLi;    KITZ    RANUOLl'H. 
(A  graduate  of  Salem   College). 


SALEM  COLLEGE  377 

without  an  endowment  fund,  upon  which  it  can  lean,  is 
dependent  upon  the  private  subscriptions  of  her  generous 
friends  from  year  to  year,  to  cover  the  inevitable  deficit  in  her 
treasury,  and  is  compelled  to  charge  a  substantial  tuition  fee, 
besides. 

The  secret  of  the  success  of  the  college,  then,  is  the 
fact  that  its  normal  work  has  been  made  strong  and  attract- 
ive in  a  way  that  it  is  difficult  for  a  state  institution  to  become 
strong  and  attractive,  particularly  if  political  influences  are 
potent. 

Salem  College,  wholly  free  from  political  taint  and 
intrigue,  maintains  a  certain  steadfastness  of  purpose  and  firm- 
ness of  discipline,  while  at  the  same  time  enjoying  a  certain 
desirable,  if  not  necessary  freedom,  that  state  institutions  do 
not  enjoy  in  West  Virginia  at  the  present  time. 

Nor  should  it  be  forgotten  that  the  spirit  of  sectarian 
competition  has  been  strong.  But  fourteen  miles  away,  at 
Clarksburg,  is  Broadus,  a  Baptist  institution,  very  much  older 
than  Salem,  and  a  powerful  rival  of  the  latter. 

Even  more  powerful,  but  somewhat  more  remote,  is  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  seat  of  learning  at  Buckhannon,  out  of 
the  village  of  Salem's  efiforts  to  secure  which,  Salem  College 
grew. 

Amid  all  these  influences,  nevertheless,  Salem  College  has 
steadily  progressed,  and  won  respect  and  reputation. 

In  the  last  analysis,  however,  the  real  secret  of  the  suc- 
cess of  Salem  College  lies  in  the  fact  that  her  faculty  consists 
of  men  and  women  possessed  of  the  sacrificial  spirit,  and  the 
catholicity  of  toleration  of  the  true  teacher, — men  and  women 
whose  sheet  anchor  is  a  deep  and  abiding  faith  in  the  destiny 
of  the  institution. 

With  such  a  body  of  teachers,  working  in  the  atmosphere 
they  naturally  created  about  them,  Salem  College  could  not 
fail.     It  had  to  succeed. 

Tabular  statements  showing  the  changes  in  the  faculty, 
the  attendance,  as  well  as  some  other  matters  of  interest  to 
the  college,  and  the  financial  history  of  the  college,  to  the  end 
of  the  academic  year  1901-1902,  are  appended  hereto.  These 
statements  are  compiled  from  the  annual  reports  of  the  college 
to  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society. 


378       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS. 

PRESIDENT:— 

Jesse  F.  Randolph,  1889-1891,  1893-1902, 
C.  Laton  Ford,  1892- 1893. 

SECRETARY  :— 

Levi  B.  Davis,  1889, 

William  Jeffrey,   1890, 

M.  Wardner  Davis,  1891,  1895-1898, 

CoRTEZ  R.  Clawson,  1899-1902. 

CORRESPONDING  SECRETARY:— 

Franklin  F.  Randolph,  1890,  1893. 
TREASURER:— 

Preston  F.  Randolph,  1889- 1891, 

AsHER  S.  Childers,  1892-1902. 
FINANCIAL  AGENT:— 

John  L.  Huffman,  1890.  1892-1895, 

Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  1892,  1896- 1902. 
ASSISTANT  FINANCIAL  AGENT:— 

John  L.  Huffman,  1891. 
DIRECTORS:— 

David  M.  Boyer,  1889-1902, 

AsHER  S.  Childers,  1889-1902, 

James  N.  David,  1889-1891, 

Edgar  S.  Davis,  1889, 

Granville  H.  Davis,  1889-1891, 

Herman  B.  Davis,  1889-1891, 

Flavius  J.  Ehret,  1889- 1 902, 

Festus   p.   Ford,   1889-1895, 

John  L.  Huffman,  1889-1896, 

Charles  N.  Maxson,  1889-1891, 

George  W.  F.  Randolph,  1889-1900, 

Jesse  F.  Randolph,  1889-1902, 

Lloyd  F.  Randolph,  1889-1894,  1896-1902, 

Fred  M.   Swiger,  1889-1902, 

James  Tonge,  1889-1891, 

William  B.  VanHorn,  1889-1902, 

William  Jeffrey,  1890, 

Milton  Davis,  1891-1902, 

C.  Laton  Ford,  1891-1901, 

R.  Lloyd  Towles,  1892- 1896, 

S.  Orlando  Davis,  1892-1902, 

Hiram   Wilson,  1892-1902, 

Henry  Hawker,  1892-1898, 

M.  V/ardner  Davis,  1895-1902, 


ALICE  CLAWSON  GARDINER.  ELSIE  B.  BOND. 

COR'I  EZ    R.    CLAWSON.  SAMUEL  B.    BOND. 

(A  oroup  from  the  b^aciilty  of  Salem  College). 


SALEM  COLLEGE  379 

Moses  Huffman  VanHorn,  1897- 1902, 
d.  c  louchery,  1897, 
o.  l.  rohrbaugh,  1898-1902, 
Preston  F.  Randolph,  1899- 1902, 
William  Corwin,  1901-1902, 
Lucian  D.  Lowther,  1902. 

FACULTY    OF    SALEM     COLLEGE,    FROM    ITS    OPENING    IN    THE 
SPRING  OF    1889  AS  AN   ACADEMY,   TO  AUGUST    I,    I902. 

PRESIDENTS:— 

Rev.  John   L.   Huffman,  A.M.,   B.D.,   Acting   Principal,   and 

chief  instructor  for  the  first  term,  Spring  of  1889. 
Rev.  Sanford  Lafayette  Maxson,  A.M.,  B.D.,  1889-1892. 
Greek,  Latin,  Natural  History. 

Elected  in  the  Spring  of  1889,  but  did  not  begin  service 
until  August  follov^^ing. 
Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  A.M.,  D.D.,  1892-1902. 

English     Literature,     Logic,     Rhetoric,     Physics,     Moral 
Science,   Psychology,   Civics. 

INSTRUCTORS:— 

William   Marcellus   Blair,  B.P.,   1889 (Spring) -1894. 

Principal    of      Normal    Department,     and      Instructor    in 
Mathematics. 
(Mrs.)  Flora  Rust.     Spring  of  1889. 

Assistant. 
Alice  Maude  Hoard,  A.M.,  Ph.B.,  1889-1890. 

German,    French,    Rhetoric. 
Mary  J.  Haven,  A.B.,  M.M.,   1889-1891. 

In  charge  of  Music  Department. 
Charlotte  D.  Maxson,  1889-1892. 

Assistant     in     Music,     1889-1891 ;     in     charge     of     Music 
Department,    1891-1892. 
Silas  B.  Davis,  1889-1892. 

Principal  of  Commercial  Department. 
Eda  L.  Crandall,  1889- 1890. 

In  charge  of  Art  Department. 
D.  C.  Louchery,  A.B.,  M.D.,  1889-1891. 

Lecturer  on  Anatomy  and  Physiology. 
I.  Scott  Kennedy,  M.D.,  1889-1891. 

Lecturer  on  Hygiene. 
Emma  A.  Maxson,  B.F.A.,  1890-1891. 

In  charge  of  Art  Department. 
Elsie  Belinda  Bond,  A.M.,  1890-1902. 

English,   History,  Latin. 
G.   O.   DoAK,   1890-1891. 

Assistant   in   Commercial   Department. 


38o      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

C.  Laton  Ford,  1890- 1893. 

Telegraphy. 
Clarence  L.  Bond,  1890-1893. 

Stenography  and  Typewriting,   1890-1892; 

Principal  of  Commercial  Department,   1892-1893. 
Ora  James  Davis,  1890-1891. 

Instructor  in  PhysiologJ^ 
C.  C.  Morrison,  1890-1891. 

Instructor   in   Mathematics. 
Alleyne  Hamilton,  189 i- 1892. 

In  charge  of  Art  Department. 
John   H.   Wolfe,   1892- 1898. 

Practical   and   Ornamental    Penmanship. 
(Mrs.)  Mary  Hughes,  1892-1893. 

In  charge  of  Music  Department. 
Gertrude  Fitz  Randolph,  1892-1894. 

In  charge  of  Art  Department. 
Mary  E.  Muncy,  A.B.,  1893-1894. 

History,   Greek.     Assistant   in   Normal   Department. 
Buchannon  White,  1893-1894. 

Principal  of  Commercial  Department. 
Frances  E.  Stillman,  1893-1899. 

In  charge  of  Music  Department. 
Joseph  Rosier,  B.P.,  1894-1896. 

Principal  of  Normal  Department. 
Cortez  R.  Clawson,  Ph.B.,  Litt.  B.,  A.B.,  1894-1902. 

Greek,  History,  Assistant  in  Normal  Department. 
T.  Francis  Kemper,  B.P.,  1894-1902. 

Mathematics,  College  Chorister. 
(Mrs.)  Abbie  M.   Clawson,   1895-1896. 

Astronomy,  Assistant  in  Normal  Department. 
J.  Alice  Clawson,  1896-1898,  1899-1902. 

German,  French. 
Flavius  E.  Ashburn,  1897-1899. 

Instructor  in  Normal  Department. 
Eugenia  Marvin,  1898-1899. 

German,  Rhetoric. 
Samuel  B.  Bond.  A.B.,  1899-1902. 

Physics,   Astronomy,   Mathematics. 
Nellie  Eaton,  1899-1901. 

In  charge  of  music  Department. 
Beatrice  Lowther,   1901-1902. 

In  charge  of  Music  Department. 

DEGREES   CONFERRED  BY  SALEM    COLLEGE,    1889-I902. 
1891.     Ora  James  Davis,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 

William  Marcellus  Blair,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Elsie  Belinda  Bond,  A.B.,  Master  of  Arts. 


SALEM  COLLEGE  381 

1892.  C  L.  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science, 
G.  O.  DoAK,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science. 

1893.  Cora  Fitz  Randolph,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
V.  Curtis  Snodgrass,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1894.  Ernest  Fitz  Randolph,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
Lela  Dew,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science, 

W.  Howard  Holmes,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science, 
Cecil  W.  Cunningham,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science, 
John  L.   Thompson,   Bachelor  of   Commercial   Science. 
John  J.  Clawson,  Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science. 

1895.  Joseph  Rosier,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 

T.  Francis  Kemper,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1896.  Samuel  B.  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 

Moses  Huffman  VanHorn,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Alois  L.  Davis,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1897.  Xenia  E.  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
Edna  Louchery,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 

Moses  Huffman  VanHorn,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
John  H.  Wolfe,  Bachelor  of  Arts, 
Alois  L.  Davis,  Bachelor  of  Philosophy, 
Chester  R.  Ogden,  Bachelor  of  Science, 
Curtis  L.   Ogden,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 
Lela  M.  Powell,  Bachelor  of  Music. 

1898.  Charles  G.  Coffman,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Morton  B.  Newlon,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1899.  Flavius  E.  Ashburn,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
(Mrs.)  Em  MA  Ashburn,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 

Daisy  Lowther,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Venie  Hagerty,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Dora  Gardiner,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1900.  O.  Austin  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Delma  M.  Davis,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Eva  L.  Young,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1901.  S.  Orestes  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
James  A.  Carder,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Orestes  W.  Frum,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Roy  F.  Randolph,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Cora  E.  Bond,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogj', 
Mabel  Lowther,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy. 

1902.  Charles  M.   Bond,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Arthur  T.  Post,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Harold  C.  Stillman,  Bachelor  of  Paedagogy, 
Xenia  Bond,  A.B.,  Master  of  Arts, 

CoRTEZ  R.  Clawson,  Ph.B.,  B.  Litt.,  Bachelor  of  Arts. 

SUMMARY. 
Bachelor  of  Paedagogy,  29, 

Bachelor  of  Commercial  Science,  7, 


382      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Bachelor  of  Arts, 
Master  of  Arts, 
Bachelor  of  Philosophy, 
Bachelor  of  Science 
Bachelor  of  Music, 


6, 
2, 
I, 
I, 
I, 


Total  degrees  granted 


47- 


TABLE    SHOWING    ATTENDANCE    AND    FINANCIAL   RECEIPTS. 


Year. 

Number 

Receipts 

Receipts 

Receipts 

Receipts 

of 

from 

from 

from 

from 

Students. 

Tuition. 

Subscriptions. 

Memorial 
Board.^ 

all 
Sources. 

1889 

54 

$   345  28 

89-90 

160 

1,038  66 

$1,947  59- 

$3,331  53' 

90-91 

140 

2,051  72 

675  70 

2,772  42 

91-92 

131 

1,059  79 

2,297  27 

3,357  06 

92-93 

151 

2,023  39 

2,567  89 

$    100  00 

4,691  28 

93-94 

181 

2,615  59 

1,676  78 

16  05 

4,308  42 

94-95 

138 

1,897  06 

2,317  24 

4,214  30 

95-96 

175 

1,937  27 

1,303  44 

100  00 

3.340  71 

96-97 

141 

1,890  43 

1,311  61 

1, 100  00 

4.302  04 

97-98 

159 

1,903  00 

729  57 

1,201  04 

3.906  78 

98-99 

140 

1,363  44 

520  90 

1,425  00 

3.444  34 

99-1900 

140 

1,395  38 

855  00 

1.739  04 

5,235  42 

00-01 

163 

1,769  74 

370  15 

2,151   II 

5. 115  35 

01-02 

139 

1,559  80 

228  78 

2,020  20 

3.972  28 

I.    Trustees  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Memorial  Fund. 

a.    From  the  beginning  of  the  enterprise,  and  includes  cost  of  site  of  the  college. 

3.     From  the  beginning  of  the  enterprise. 


XXVII. 


SLAVERY. 


^^|F  the  western  Virginia  churches,  but 
^'*^  one,  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  con- 
tained any  slave  holders.  Within 
the  bounds  of  the  New  Salem 
Church  lived  a  man  who  regarded 
himself,  in  so  far  as  he  was 
religiously  inclined,  as  a  Seventh 
Day  Baptist.  He  never  joined  any 
church,  but  was  an  active  and  sym- 
pathetic trustee  of  the  West  Union 
Academy.^  But  so  far  as  available  records  and  traditions 
show,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  the  only  one  of  this  group 
of  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  which  enrolled  a  slave 
holder  among  its  membership. 

Deacon  Abel  Bond  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  married, 
in  Maryland,  a  wife,  whose  uncle  made  her  a  present  of  a  slave 
girl.  This  slave  girl,  on  reaching  womanhood,  married  against 
the  wishes  of  Deacon  Bond,  but  nevertheless  with  his  per- 
mission. She  raised  a  family  of  children,  who,  according 
to  the  laws  of  slave-holding  states,  were  born  into  bondage. 
Deacon  Bond  offered  to  set  the  family  free  and  to  pay  their 
expences  to  a  free  state,  but  they  preferred  to  remain  with 
him ,  as  he  was  a  kind  master  exercising  only  such  authority 
over  them  as  the  laws  of  the  state  and  of  humanity  demanded 
at  his  hands.  Deacon  Bond  provided  in  his  will  that  they 
should  be  freed  as  soon  as  circumstances  should  warrant,  but 
soon  after  his  death  all  the  coloured  family  died  but  the  mother 
and  one  son,  who  was  not  physically  strong.     Deacon  Bond's 


I.     Samuel  Preston  F.   Randolph. 


384      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

son,  into  whose  care  they  were  committed  at  the  death  of  his 
father,  again  offered  them  freedom,  but  they  still  chose  to 
remain  where  they  were.^ 

At  the  session  of  the  Eastern  Association  held  at  Shiloh, 
New  Jersey,  May,  1856,  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek 
churches,  made  application  for  admission  to  that  body,  and 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  appeared  as  a  delegate  from  both  of 
these  churches.  These  applications  were  referred,  as  usual 
in  such  cases,  to  the  committee  on  petitions,  consisting  of 
P.  L.  Perry,  B.  F.  Langworthy,  and  Enoch  J.  Davis,  who 
reported  to  the  association  in  favour  of  admitting  both 
churches.  This  recommendation  called  forth  considerable  dis- 
cussion, chiefly  by  Alfred  B.  Burdick,  Sherman  S.  Griswold, 
Charles  M.  Lewis,  David  Clawson,  Samuel  D.  Davis,  James 
Bailey,  Walter  B.  Gillette,  and  Halsey  H.  Baker,  the  dis- 
cussion relating  chiefly  to  the  relation  of  these  churches  to 
slavery.  The  New  Salem  Church  was  final!}'  admitted  by  a 
unanimous  vote,  and  the  Lost  Creek  Church  with  but  a  single 
dissenting  vote,  that  of  Alfred  B.  Burdick. 

The  Pawcatuck  Church  now  took  up  the  matter  inde- 


I.  "Black  Manuel  was  the  husband  of  Lottie,  a  black  woman  who  lived  and 
died  in  the  Bond  family  on  Elk  Creek,  at  the  place  now  known  as  Quiet  Dell. 
Lottie  and  her  husband  were  both  members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  on 
Lost  Creek.  Manuel  was  the  slave  of  Thomas  Bond  of  Lost  Creek,  who  though 
not  a  member  of  the  church,  was  a  nominal  Sabbath-keeper.  When  Manuel  was 
well  stricken  in  years,  his  master  sold  the  farm  on  which  they  lived  to  two  mem- 
bers of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  Eli  and  Moses  Van  Horn,  and  sold  Manuel  to  a 
man  keeping  First  Day,  who  moved  him  to  a  farm  further  away  from  the  church. 

"Being  dissatisfied  with  his  new  home,  he  appealed  to  the  men  who  bought 
his  old  master's  farm,  to  buy  him  also,  and  bring  him  back  to  the  humble  cottage 
he  had  occupied  so  many  years,  that  he  might  live  among  his  church  brethren. 

"This  they  did,  and  became  the  legal  owners  of  a  brother  in  the  same  church 
with   themselves. 

"But  they  did  this,  and  thus  became  responsible  for  Manuel's  conduct  and 
future  maintenance,  not  for  sordid  money's  sake,  for  Manuel  was  not  now  able  to 
earn  wages,  but  that  they  might  make  comfortable  and  happy  a  beloved  brother. 

"It  was  my  privilege  to  pay  pastoral  visits  to  all  three  of  these  brethren 
when  on  their  dying  beds,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  it  will  be  said  in  the  judg- 
ment to  these  last  owners  of  Manuel,  'Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these  my  brethren,   ye  have  done  it   unto  me.' 

"Should  the  reader  question  why  Manuel's  brethren  did  not  set  him  free, 
let  it  be  remembered  that  such  was  the  law  of  the  state  of  Virginia,  that  a  freed 
slave  could  not  remain  in  it  beyond  a  stated  number  of  days,  without  being  sold 
again  into  bondage." 

The  foregoing  statement  made  by  the  Reverend  Samuel  D.  Davis  now  of  Jane 
Lew,  West  Virginia,  formerly  the  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  was  placed  in 
the  hands  of  the  author  of  this  book,  after  the  manuscript  of  the  book  was  com- 
pleted, ready  to  go  to  press. 

(24) 


SLAVERY  385 

pendently,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  investigate  the  sub- 
ject. The  committee  accordingly  addressed  the  following  letter 
to  the  Lost  Creek  Church : — 

'To  THE  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Lost  Creek: 
"Dear  Brethren : — 

"The  undersigned  by  appointment  of  the  Pawcatuck  Seventh 
Day  Baptist  Church,  in  Westerly,  R.  I.,  are  instructed  to  write  you  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  your  vievi^s  of  the  system  of  American  Slavery, 
and  also  to  ascertain  what  apology  you  have  to  offer  for  permitting 
some  of  your  members  to  hold  human  beings  in  bondage.  It  is  with 
feelings  of  deep  regret  that  we  learn  the  fact  that  slave  holding  is 
tolerated  by  you  as  a  church,  &  we  assure  you  that  it  is  with  no  other 
than  Christian  &  fraternal  feehngs,  and  an  earnest  wish  for  the  purity 
and  upholding  of  our  common  cause,  that  we  address  you. 

"We  hope  you  will  respond  fully  and  explicitly  to  these  points  by 
letter  at  your  earliest  convenience,  that  we  may  know  your  views  as  a 
church  on  these  subjects,  &  thereby  greatly  oblige 
"Yours  fraternally, 

"E.   G.   Champlin, 
"Jonathan  Maxson, 
"Charles    Potter,   Jr." 

The  reply  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  not  satisfactory 
to  the  Pawcatuck  Church,  and  at  the  next  annual  session 
of  the  Eastern  Association  held  at  New  Market,  New  Jersey, 
in  1857,  the  Pawcatuck  and  Greenmanville  churches  of  that 
association  presented  formal  protest  against  the  reception  of 
the  Lost  Creek  Church  into  the  association.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  Lost  Creek  Church,  in  its  annual  letter,  complained  of  the 
insinuations  which  had  been  made  against  it.  In  the  mean- 
time the  North-Western  Association  had  taken  the  following 
action : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  deeply  regret  the  reception  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  by  the  Eastern  Association,  as  a  member,  while  slavery 
nestles  in  its  bosom." 

This  resolution  was  also  presented  to  the  Eastern  Asso- 
ciation, which  referred  the  whole  matter  to  a  special  committee 
consisting  of  William  B.  Maxson,  Thomas  M.  Clarke,  and 
James  Bailey.  This  committee  presented  a  report,  w^hich, 
after  discussion  by  William  B.  Maxson,  James  Bailey,  Sher- 
man S.  Griswold,  George  B.  Utter,  Lucius  Crandall,  Samuel 
D.  Davis,  Halsey  H.  Baker,  and  Alfred  B.  Burdick,  was 
amended  to  read  as  follows : — 

"The  committee  to  whom  was  referred  the  letters  of  the  Pawca- 


386      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

tuck  and  Greenmanville  churches  relative  to  the  reception  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  into  the  association,  and  also  the  letter  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church  relative  to  the  action  of  the  North-Western  Association  upon 
the  same  subject,  respectfully  report:  That  they  have  had  these 
letters  under  consideration,  and  have  investigated  the  subject  to  which 
they  refer,  as  far  as  time  would  allow.  They  find  the  facts  in  regard 
to  the  existence,  real  or  supposed,  of  slavery  in  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
to  be  as  follows :  A  member  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  who  died 
several  years  ago,  was  the  legal  owner  of  two  coloured  persons — one  a 
woman  about  sixty  years  of  age,  who  had  been  a  member  of  his  family 
from  childhood,  and  the  other  a  son  of  the  old  woman,  of  feeble  con- 
stitution, aged  about  twenty-five  years.  These  coloured  persons  the 
deceased  brother  left  by  will  to  his  heirs,  with  an  injunction  to  take 
good  care  of  them,  and  set  them  free  when  circumstances  should 
favour.  In  the  apprisement  of  the  estate  of  the  deceased,  these  per- 
sons were  not  considered  as  property,  and  no  price  was  placed  upon 
them.  They  now  remain  in  the  family  of  one  of  the  heirs,  who  is  Ji 
member  of  the  church,  and  are  technically  slaves  in  the  eye  of  the  law, 
which  requires  that  every  coloured  person  shall  either  have  a  nominal 
master,  or  shall  leave  the  state.  The  brother  with  whom  they  live  has 
offered  them  their  freedom;  but  they  decline  to  accept  it.  He  has  also 
given  public  assurance  of  his  willingness  to  set  them  free,  and  pay  their 
expenses  to  a  free  state,  if  any  resident  in  such  a  state  will  agree  to 
take  the  guardianship  of  them ;  but  no  one  has  yet  come  forward  to 
take  that  position.  In  these  circumstances,  the  brother  in  question  con- 
siders it  his  duty  to  allow  the  coloured  persons  to  remain  with  him, 
subject  to  the  regulations  imposed  by  the  laws  of  the  state  in  which 
be  lives. 

"Having  found  such  to  be  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  c'esirmg  to 
ascertain  the  views  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  upon  the  subject  of 
slavery,  the  committee  propounded  to  Bro.  Davis,  the  delegate  from 
that  church,  four  questions,  which  were  answered  as  follows : — 

"jst.  Does  your  church  have  or  hold  any  sympathy,  in  any  sense, 
with  American  Slavery?     Ans.     It  does  not. 

"^nd.  Does  the  church  hold  that  American  Slavery  ought  to  be 
abolished,  as  a  sin  against  God  and  man?     Ans.     It  does. 

"3rd.  In  what  sense,  if  not  as  slaves,  are  those  persons,  under- 
stood by  some  as  such,  held  by  a  member  or  members  of  your  church? 
Ans.  If  held  at  all,  it  is  to  shield  them  from  the  action  of  the  laws 
of  the  state  that  would  otherwise  enslave  them. 

"4th.  What  would  the  church  do  with  a  member  who  should 
buy  or  sell  or  hold  a  person  as  property?  Ans.  It  would  exclude 
him. 

"The  committee  also  found,  that  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  by  its 
delegates,  adopted  the  following  resolution,  at  an  association  held  in 
Ritchie  County,  Va.,  Sept.  1854:  That  we  regard  American  Slavery 
as  a  sin  of  great  magnitude  in  the  sight  of  God,  and  a  flagrant  viola- 


SLAVERY  387 

tion  of  the  rights  of  our  fellow  men,  and  that  it  is  our  duty  to  use 
all  of  our  influence  against  it.' 

"From  these  and  other  facts  before  them,  the  committee  came  to 
the  following  conclusions  : — 

"ist.  That  the  relation  of  master  and  slave  does  not  exist  in  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  phrase,  and  only 
technically,  and  that  the  church  is  not  justly  chargeable  with 
sustaining  slavery. 

"27td.  That  we  deeply  regret  the  acrimonious  spirit,  and  the  per- 
sonal reflections  and  accusations,  made  against  brethren,  in  the 
discussion  had  upon  the  subject  in  the  denominational  paper. 

"Sfd.  With  regard  to  the  resolution  of  the  North-Western 
Association,  we  think  the  language  used  is  stronger  than  the  facts 
warrant,  and  that  the  regret  expressed  by  that  association  results  from 
the  manner  in  which  the  subject  has  been  discussed,  more  than  from 
the  existence  of  slavery  itself. 

"W.   B.   Maxson, 
"J.   Bailey." 

The  minority  report  of  the  committee  was  as  follows : — 

"The  minority  of  your  committee  begs  leave  to  report,  that  in 
view  of  the  technical  and  legal  relations  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  to 

American  Slavery,  he   is   unable  to  concur   in  the  majority  report  of 

said    committee ;    holding    himself    morally    and    religiously    bound  to 

sustain  no  relation  to  that  institution  but  that  of  opposition  as  an 
essential  evil. 

"Thomas  M.  Clarke." 

When  these  reports  came  up  for  action,  they  were  laid  upon 
the  table.  Several  efforts  were  then  made  by  various  individuals 
to  present  something  acceptable  to  the  association  for  its  favour- 
able action,  and  the  following  preamble  and  resolution 
offered  by  Joseph  W.  Morton  were  adopted: — 

"Whereas,  Elder  S.  D.  Davis,  delegate  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church 
to  this  association,  has,  in  reply  to  certain  questions  proposed  to  him 
by  a  special  committee  of  this  body,  assured  us  that  that  church 
considers  American  Slavery  as  a  sin  against  God  and  man;  that  they 
would  withdraw  the  hand  of  fellowship  from  any  brother  or  sister 
who  would  hold  a  human  being  as  a  slave ;  and  that  no  member  of 
that  church  is  known  to  him,  who  does  actually  hold  any  person  as 
?.  slave,  or  claim  any  legal  or  other  right  to  do  so ;  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  have  entire  confidence  in  the  integrity  of 
our  brother  Davis  and  fully  believe  that  his  statements  are  in  perfect 
accordance  with  the  facts  as  he  understands  them. 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  rejoice  to  hear  that  this,  our  younger 
sister,  is  heart  and  hand  with  us  in  opposition  to  the  great  crime  of 


388       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

American  Slavery ;  and  we  bid  her  God-speed  in  her  efforts  to  undo 
the  heavy  burdens  of  the  bondman,  as  in  every  other  good  work. 

"Yet,  Inasmuch  as  many  of  our  brethren  desire  to  have  in  writ- 
ing, from  that  church,  a  formal  and  authoritative  statement  of  her 
sentiments  and  practise  in  relation  to  human  slavery,  that  it  may  be 
spread  out  upon  our  records,  as  her  testimony  to  all  who  may  succeed 
us,  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  the  Lost  Creek  Church  be  respectfully 
requested,  through  the  clerk  of  this  association,  to  favour 
us  with  an  official  answer  in  writing,  to  the  questions  which  have  been 
so  satisfactorily  answered,  verbally  and  unofficially,  by  her  delegate. 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  earnestly  entreat  that  all  those  of  our 
brethren  who  may  have  felt  aggrieved  by  any  unpleasant  remarks  on 
this  subject,  either  in  private  conversation,  public  debate,  or  written 
correspondence,  to  forgive  and  forget  the  same,  and  cultivate  a  spirit 
of  mutual  kindness  and  Christian  confidence." 

In  accordance  with  the  foregoing  action,  the  correspond- 
ing secretary  of  the  association,  Rev.  James  Bailey,  wrote  the 
Lost  Creek  Church  requesting  the  information  desired  by  the 
association.  His  letter  called  forth  the  following  reply: — 
"Copy  of  a  couiuinnication  zvrittcn  and  forivardcd  agreeable 
to  Church  order,  made  June  I2th,  1857. 

"Dear  Brother  : — 

"Your  official  letter  of  June  3d,  sent  under  instructions  of  the 
Eastern  Association,  requesting  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  official  an- 
swers in  writing  to  certain  questions  heretofore  answered  by  the  dele- 
gate of  that  church,  was  received  in  due  time.  You  say  we  will  see 
from  the  minutes  of  the  meeting  how  the  whole  matter  stands.'  We 
have  seen  no  minutes,  except  what  is  given  in  the  Recorder,  28th  May. 

"This  we  suppose,  however,  contains  the  principal  matter.  The 
church,  at  a  regular  business  meeting,  held  June  12,  1857,  after  fully 
deliberating  upon  the  case  as  shown  in  that  paper  and  prints  else- 
where, together  with  all  the  attendant  circumstances  and  bearings, 
came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  not  duty  to  fill  the  request,  and  I 
was  instructed,  at  the  same  meeting,  to  inform  you  of  this  decision  of 
the  church  and  communicate  to  you  some  of  the  reasons  why  we 
decline  answering.  There  are  various  considerations  why  the  church 
thinks  it  not  proper  to  answer  the  questions  propounded,  some  of 
which  we  now  proceed  to  notice. 

"You  say  in  your  letter  that  'the  statement  of  our  delegate  was 
satisfactory  to  most  of  the  members  of  the  association,  but  in  a  matter 
involving  so  much  as  the  question  of  freedom  and  bondage,  it  is  proper 
to  have  the  official  statement  of  the  church.'  Here,  we  ask,  Is  freedom 
jeopardised  in  our  Church?  Is  a  spirit  and  feeling  for  bondage  shown 
there?     Do   the    facts   justify   such   a   conclusion?     Is    what   has   been 


SLAVERY 


389 


said  by  us  to  the  contrary,  time  after  time,  repeated  again  and  again 
by  our  delegate  and  through  the  press,  over  and  over  almost  con- 
tinually, for  more  than  a  year,  all  to  go  for  nothing?  If  suspicion 
and  incredulity  are  really  so  deeply  rooted  in  the  minds  of  brethren 
as  to  doubt  the  truth  of  all  they  have  heretofore  heard  from  us  on 
this  subject,  it  is  not  likely  that  anything  we  might  say  now  would 
erase  that  distrust.  This  view  alone  of  the  subject  might  justify  a 
refusal  to  answer,  but  there  are  other  and  perhaps  more  weighty 
reasons. 

"It  does  seem  to  us  that  the  act  of  propounding  these  questions  is 
uncalled  for,  unequal,  illegal,  and  imposing.  Uncalled  for,  because  the 
questions  have  been  answered,  all  needful  information  on  the  subject 
has  heretofore  been  abundantly  given.  Unequal,  because  no  other 
church  is  thus  interrogated  about  slavery  or  any  other  evil,  although 
many  gross  ones  exist  and  are  more  universal  than  slavery. 

"A  forward  character  in  the  association  wrote  thus  in  the 
Recorder,  April  30th : —  'I  believe  war  to  be  as  great  an  evil  and  far 
more  criminal  than  either  rum-selling  or  slavery,  and  if  either  reform 
is  most  important,  it  is  that  of  peace.' 

'"Here  we  have  the  published  sentiment  of  one  who  stands  appar- 
ently among  the  most  officious  members  of  our  own  body.  He  ranks 
war,  rum-selling,  and  slavery  somewhat  together,  but  says  decidedly 
that  war  is  far  the  most  criminal.  Others  of  the  body,  all,  for  aught 
we  know,  may  entertain  the  same  views  of  the  comparative  magnitude 
of  these  evils,  all  of  which  are  common.  Now,  although  war,  rum- 
selling,  and  many  other  great  evils  are  prevalent,  as  must  be  admitted 
by  all,  yet  of  eighteen  churches  comprised  in  the  body,  one  alone  is 
singled  out,  and  of  the  very  many  prominent  evils,  one  only  is  inquired 
after.  With  a  knowledge  of  all  these  facts,  who  can  fail  to  see  that 
inequality  is  practised? 

"The  second  article  of  the  constitution  says  'The  object  of  this 
association  shall  be  to  promote  the  piety,  order,  and  increase  of  the 
churches  belonging  to  it  and  the  cause  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  gen- 
erally in  the  world.'  This  is  as  it  should  be.  The  letter  of  our  cove- 
nant is  right,  intended  doubtless  to  bear  equally  upon  every  church, 
for  the  good  of  the  whole,  but  the  present  movement  deviates  from 
the  rule  laid  down.  It  gives  the  appearance  of  partiality  and  is 
manifestly  at  variance  with  both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the  compact. 
Here  the  act  is  illegal.  This  will  still  be  more  fully  seen  by  a  little 
further  examination. 

"  'What  would  the  church  do  with  a  member  who  would  buy  or 
sell  or  hold  a  person  as  property?'  is  one  interrogation  put  to  us. 

"Now,  the  thirteenth  article  of  the  constitution  expressly  forbids 
the  exercise  of  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  over  the  churches  leaving  each 
to  'manage  its  own  concerns  of  all  matters  of  discipline  without  being 
amenable  to  any  other  body.'  This  clause  of  the  law  of  the  body 
shows  at  once  that  it  is  illegal  to  press  such  questions  as  the  one  above 


390      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

quoted,  this  association  having  no  province  even  over  acts  of  church 
discipline  past,  much  less  a  right  to  reach  ahead  after  what  perchance 
may  be  in  the  future. 

"Was  not  such  an  act  forbidden  by  covenant  agreement?  There 
is  rather  too  strong  a  spirit  and  principle  of  aristocracy  betrayed  in  it 
to  be  tolerated  by  a  free  people,  especially  the  Christian  church.  The 
voice  of  inspiration  cautions  against  'being  lords  over  God's  heritage.' 

"We  now  notice  something  of  the  imposing  feature  of  the  act  of 
pressing  these  questions  upon  us.  As  before  mentioned,  it  is  admitted 
that  the  statements  of  our  representative  were  satisfactory  to  most  of 
the  members  of  the  association.  This  we  fully  believe  (for  enough 
has  been  said  by  the  delegates  and  others,  as  may  be  seen  by  tracing 
the  history  of  the  matter)  to  satisfy  every  reasonable  inquirer  and  we 
are  glad  to  say  that  we  are  persuaded  that  reasonableness  character- 
ises a  large  majority  of  our  brethren  in  the  association.  Much  has 
come  to  our  knowledge  to  raise  and  confirm  this  belief.  For  all  these 
many  sympathising  brethren,  we  do  now,  and  hope  we  ever  shall 
entertain  deep  sentiments  of  kind  Christian  affection,  though  forced 
to  a  non-compliance  of  a  resolution  passed  under  their  notice.  Per- 
haps all  did  not  sanction  it.     We  trust  they  did  not. 

"Is  this  catechising  system  adopted  and  carried  through  in  a  con- 
sistent manner  bearing  equal  on  every  church  as  it  should?  The 
church  at  Lost  Creek  and  the  sin  of  slavery  is  not  all  that  is  to  be 
noticed.  The  association  has  much  more  to  do.  First  inquire  of  this, 
that,  and  the  other  church ;  does  it  'have  or  hold  any  sympathy  in 
any  sense  with  Sabbath  breakers,  profane  swearers,  those  who  go  to 
'war,  rum-sellers,'  high-way  robbers,  and  so  continue  on  until  each 
church  in  the  body  is  separately  interrogated.  Then  again  inquiring 
of  each  branch  separately  what  it  would  'do  with  a  member'  who 
was  guilty  of  this,  that,  or  the  other  sin,  following  on  until  every 
church  and  the  whole  catalogue  of  misdemeanors  are  gone  over.  In 
short,  adopting  the  system,  we  enter  a  laborious  uphill  road,  crossing 
the  laws  by  which  we  profess  to  be  governed,  beating  strongly  toward 
usurpation  and  tyranny.  The  act  of  putting  these  questions  is  not  only 
an  encroachment  upon  liberties  guaranteed,  but  imposing,  because  it 
gives  the  appearance  of  distrust  of  the  truth  of  much  that  many  have 
said  before,  amounting  virtually  and  very  near  directly  to  a  high 
impeachment  upon  the  veracity  of  our  representative,  on  whose  feelings 
and  reputation  we  place  far  too  high  an  estimate  to  countenance  or 
give  strength  to  such  a  censure  by  answering  the  questions. 

"We  have,  as  a  church,  voted  him  our  thanks  for  his  services  in 
attending  the  meetings  of  the  association  and  an  approval  of  his 
course  as  delegate,  and  although  we  may  .stand  ever  so  ready  to  give 
the  desired  answers  full  and  clear  when  justice  and  propriety  demand, 
yet  to  answer  now,  under  existing  circumstances,  would  be  an  open 
foreseen  act  of  ingratitude,  to  which  it  would  be  cruel  to  descend. 


SLAVERY 


391 


"These  are  some  of  the  considerations  that  brought  us  to  the  con- 
clusion that  it  is  not  duty  to  fill  the  request. 

"Was  it  proper  to  extend  such  inquiries  and  that  we  should  be 
disposed  to  answer  them? 

"We  see  no  probability  of  good  resulting,  unless  perhaps  it  might 
be  a  slight  gratification  to  a  few  ultra-abolitionists,  whose  pre- 
judices we  suppose  are  so  deeply  set,  that  they  perhaps  will  never 
know  when  they  have  said  and  done  enough  to  defame  and  oppress 
southern  dwellers,  and  such  a  good  or  gratification  we  think  will  have 
no  tendency  to  promote  the  true  interest  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in 
the  world,  which  agreeable  to  our  profession,  should  be  the  prime 
motive  of  our  lives  and  labour.  To  this  duty  we  are  solemnly  bound 
by  the  social  compact  into  which  we  have  entered,  as  is  explicitly  stated 
in  the  constitution  of  the  body.  No  self  gratification  or  other  sinister 
motive  should  be  indulged  in,  most  certainly  not  at  the  expense  of 
the  feelings  and  reputation  of  others. 

"More  might  be  added  in  justification  of  the  position  we  take,  but 
enough  is  said,  perhaps,  to  give  some  idea  of  our  views  and  feelings. 

"We  therefore  leave  this  point  with  the  brethren  of  the  associa- 
tion, to  be  disposed  of  as  their  pleasure  may  dictate,  and  pass  (as 
painful  as  the  thought  may  be)  to  the  subject  of  separation.  While, 
as  in  the  present  case,  sundering  covenant  relations  is  frequently  a 
source  of  grief  and  tears,  yet  it  is  sometimes  the  most  prudent  course. 
How  can  any  body  of  people  walk  together,  with  pleasure  or  profit, 
when  peace  and  union  are  broken  up  by  convulsions  of  useless  strife 
and  discord?  A  house  divided  against  itself  cannot  stand.  Was  our 
church  located  in  a  more  northern  clime  disclaiming,  as  we  do,  senti- 
ments and  practise  of  slavery,  we  think  present  difiiculties  might  not 
have  been  raised.  Existing  facts  lead  us  to  this  conclusion.  We  are 
slow  to  believe  that  it  is  the  condition  of  the  two  coloured  people  with 
Brother  Bond,  that  causes  these  ruptures,  for  it  is  well  known  that  a 
remedy  of  any  supposed  wrong  existing  there  has  long  since  been 
spread  out  ready  to  the  hands  of  any  and  every  benevolent  friend  to 
change,  at  Brother  Bond's  expence,  the  condition  of  these  people  at 
their  pleasure  and  that  of  their  friends,  if  it  can  be  done  for  the  better; 
but  great  as  the  sound  of  sympathy  and  charity  from  the  north  for 
Mother  Charlotte  and  her  son  has  been,  it  all  proves  cold  as  winter  in 
the  region  from  whence  it  comes.  Though  the  way  is  opened  and 
made  easy,  no  benefactor  appears,  leaving  us  to  conclude  that  it  is  not 
the  condition  of  these  people,  but  a  local  dislike,  a  sectional  preju- 
dice, that  keeps  up  dissatisfaction,  which,  though  we  believe  it  dwells 
in  the  bosoms  of  but  few  (perhaps  very  few)  yet  we  have  no  dis- 
position to  contend  further  with  the  prejudices  of  these  men,  believing 
it  would  be  fruitless,  as  well  as  unpleasant  to  do  so. 

"We  therefore  withdraw,  that  we  no  longer  be  a  party  in  war 
among  covenant  brethren.  The  contest  proves  not  only  unpleasant 
and  fruitless,  but  sadly  disastrous ;  all  this  too  with  little  or  no  visible 


392       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

cause,  more  certainly  without  any  good  reason;  nothing  new  or  more 
unfavourable  as  to  the  real  facts  in  the  case  has  come  to  light  since 
our  reception,  yet  variance  and  division  enlarges.  When  we  entered 
the  compact,  one  individual  alone  raised  the  dissenting  voice.  Since 
that,  a  number  of  brethren,  two  churches,  and  one  other  association  at 
least  have  raised  the  denouncing  cry  in  high  and  degrading  tones 
through  the  columns  of  our  denominational  organ,  evincing  to  the 
world  that  neither  gospel  duty,  weighty  and  sacred  as  it  is,  nor  chris- 
tian covenant,  however  solemn  and  binding,  prevents  brethren  among 
us  from  defaming  one  another  in  the  most  public  manner.  Moreover, 
our  own  association,  at  its  recent  session,  not  only  virtually  refused 
to  rebuke  these  things  or  give  us  redress  in  any  form,  but  have 
shaped  matters  still  more  unfavourable  by  refusing  to  adopt  the  major- 
ity report  of  her  own  select  committee,  prepared  for  the  purpose  of 
alleviating  the  matter,  and  by  an  over-act  adopted  another  in  its  stead, 
urging  imposing  superfluous  duties  upon  us,  such  as  are  not  required 
of  any  other  church. 

"Under  this  state  of  things,  Christian  sociability  and  fellowship 
is  broken.  Our  usefulness  to  each  other  and  to  the  cause  as  co- 
workers, paralysed  if  not  destroyed.  By  the  union,  our  hearts  were 
lifted  with  the  hope  that  by  the  blessing  of  our  heavenly  Father,  we 
might  labour  together  much  for  the  edification  and  mutual  benefit  of 
each  other  as  well  as  for  the  furtherance  of  our  common  cause  in  the 
world ;  but  alas,  these  anticipations,  bright  and  promising  as  they 
were,  soon  began  to  darken  and  now  close  in  sad  disappointment. 
Isolated,  weak,  and  destitute  as  we  are,  we  choose  rather  to  retire 
than  remain  where  prevailing  contention  wounds  the  feelings  and 
reproaches  the  cause.  The  time  and  labour  of  our  minister  is  too 
much  appreciated,  his  feelings  too  much  regarded,  for  us  any  longer  to 
spend  money  in  sending  him  away  to  meet  with  those  whose  manner 
of  reception  have  already  pierced  his  heart,  as  well  as  others  with  deep 
sorrows,  unmerited  affliction,  as  well  as  sad  disappointment. 

"Under  the  weight  of  the  foregoing  considerations,  the  church, 
June  12,  1857,  resolved  to  request  a  release  from  the  association,  desir- 
ing no  longer  to  be  a  member  thereof.  You  will  please,  therefore,  lay 
this  communication  before  the  association  at  the  earliest  opportunity. 
No  further  delegation  or  correspondence  as  an  acting  member  of  that 
body  need  be  expected. 

"Although  thus  withdrawing  from  the  association,  we  feel  under 
high  and  lasting  obligations  to  many  of  its  members,  and  desire  cor- 
dially to  tender  to  such  churches  and  brethren  as  have  favoured  us 
with  their  friendship  (and  we  believe  they  are  many),  expressions  of 
deep  and  heartfelt  gratitude  for  their  kindness  and  brother-like 
deportment  toward   us. 

"Written  and  forwarded  agreeable  to  church  order. 

"William  F.  Randolph,  Special  Committee, 
"To   James    Bailey,   Corresponding   Secretary, 
"of   the   Eastern   Association." 


SLAVERY 


393 


The  reply  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  was  received  by  the 
association  at  its  annual  meeting  with  the  First  Hopkinton 
Church  in  May,  1858,  and  was  referred  to  a  special  committee 
consisting  of  Joseph  Potter,  William  B.  Maxson,  and  Walter 
B.   Gillette. 

The  report  of  the  special  committee  was  as  follows : — 

"The  special  committee  to  whom  was  referred  a  letter  from  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  Va.,  stating  that  said  church  had  voted  to  with- 
draw from  the  association,  respectfully  report,  that  they  have  duly 
considered  the  question,  and  recommend  that  the  association  take  no 
other  action  upon  the  subject  than  to  adopt  the  following  preamble 
and  resolution : — 

"Whereas,  The  church  at  Lost  Creek,  Va.,  has  given  notice  of  its 
vote  to  withdraw  from  the  association;  and, 

"Whereas,  The  letter  from  that  church  containing  such  notice, 
leads  us  to  conclude  that  their  withdrawal  is  based  mainly  upon  a 
supposition  that  the  association  discredited  the  statements  made  last 
year  by  their  delegate  and  that  there  was  something  inquisitional  in 
the  resolution  adopted  by  the  association,  requesting  from  the  church 
a  formal  and  authenticated  statement  of  her  sentiments  and  practise 
in  relation  to  human  slavery;  therefore, 

"RESOLVED,  That  we  hereby  disclaim  any  intention  in  the 
resolution  adopted  last  year,  either  to  discredit  the  statements  made 
by  the  delegate  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  (which  statement  he 
informed  us  was  not  official),  or  to  catechise  that  church  discour- 
teously or  unnecessarily,  assuring  them  that  our  only  intention  was 
to  obtain  from  them  such  official  information  as  seemed  to  us  neces- 
sary in  view  of  what  had  been  written  and  spoken  on  the  subject  to 
remove  the  impression  that  was  upon  some  minds,  that  the  spirit  of 
slavery   existed   in  that   church." 

This  report  was  discussed  at  length,  and  after  an  unsuc- 
cessful effort  to  have  a  substitute  for  it  adopted,  the  whole 
matter  was  referred  back  to  the  special  committee,  and  George 
B.  Utter  and  William  C.  Whitford  added  to  the  committee. 
The  committee  re-presented  its  original  report,  which  was 
adopted. 

The  New  Salem  Church,  it  should  be  observed,  took  no 
formal  part  in  this  controversy  with  the  Eastern  Association, 
of  which  it  will  be  remembered  the  New  Salem  Church  was 
a  member  also,  although  that  church  had  joined  with  the  Lost 
Creek  Church  in  sending  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  as  a  delegate 
for  two  consecutive  years  to  the  annual  sessions  of  the  East- 
ern Association  held  at  Shiloh  and  New  Market,  New  Jersey. 


394      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

It  was  perfectly  clear,  however,  that  the  New  Salem  Church 
strongly  sympathised  with  her  sister  church  in  what  they  both 
regarded  as  persecution  of  the  latter,  concerning  slavery. 
From  the  date  of  the  final  action  of  the  Eastern  Association 
upon  the  withdrawal  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  the  New 
Salem  Church  maintained  an  attitude  of  dignified  silence  as  a 
member  of  that  association,  for  a  period  of  nine  years,  or  until 
the  year  1867,  after  the  Civil  War  had  been  closed  and  slavery 
forever  banished  from  American  soil. 

But  the  feeling  engendered  by  so  bitter  and  so  intense  a 
controversy  could  not  die  out  all  at  once,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  occasion  of  the  visit  of  Rev.  Sherman  S.  Griswold  at  Lost 
Creek  in  May,  1881,  that  it  was  made  entirely  clear  that  peace 
and  harm.ony  were  wholly  restored,  and  that  the  slavery  ques- 
tion among  Seventh  Day  Baptists  had  become  wholly  a  thing 
of  the  past.  So  far  as  records  accessible  at  the  present  time 
show,  not  more  than  two  members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
churches  of  western  Virginia  took  up  arms  against  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  in  behalf  of  slavery.  With  these 
exceptions  the  Union  was  upheld  and  loyally  supported 
by  the  entire  membership  of  all  these  churches. 

Situated  as  they  were  on  the  very  border  line  betv»^een  the 
north  and  the  south,  where  political  feelings,  always  intense, 
were  many  fold  so  at  that  time,  it  was  but  natural  that  any  and 
all  persons  not  definitely  known  to  have  voted  for  the  success- 
ful candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the  United  States 
in  the  campaign  of  i860,  should  be  regarded  with  doubt, 
and  many  were  arrested  upon  suspicion  and  confined 
in  the  county  jails  or  carried  away  to  Camp  Chase  or  other 
government  prisons.  On  one  occasion,  a  posse  of  officers 
called  at  midnight  at  the  home  of  the  loyal  clerk  of  the  New 
Salem  Church  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of  arresting  him  and 
taking  him  away  to  prison  as  a  suspicious  character.  To  their 
disgust,  they  found  him  at  the  Township  Hall,  performing 
his  duty  as  a  loyal  citizen  of  the  United  States  in  helping  to 
conduct  a  federal  election,  whose  returns  must  be  made  out 
before  the  commissioners  of  the  election  were  permitted  to 
leave  their  post  of  duty  for  sleep.  The  churches  of  this  asso- 
ciation were  all  represented  in  the  Federal  Army. 


H![gjglHi[glKJlaj[g}aiKjil[KlKj[HMJlKl«)iH]lM,teS^^^ 

i  APPENDIxi 


'«!«{«:«'«'«!«?«' 


BIOGRAPHICAL  SKETCHES. 


REV.  JOHN  DAVIS. 

Rev.  John  Davis  was  the  son  of  William  Davis,  whose 
biography  appears  in  the  first  chapter  of  this  book.  He  was 
born  in  or  near  Philadelphia,  in  the  year  1692.  Probably 
about  the  year  1710,  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Westerly, 
Rhode  Island,  where  he  was  baptized  May  25,  1713,  by  his 
father,  and  admitted  to  membership  in  the  Westerly  Church  on 
the  22d  of  the  following  June. 

In  the  year  1715,  he  was  married  to  Elisabeth  Clarke,  the 
daughter  of  Joseph  Clarke,  Jr. 

On  November  9,  1743,  the  Westerly  Church  called  him 
to  ordination  as  a  Gospel  minister,  but  he  declined  to  accept 
ordination. 

Soon  afterward,  he  removed  to  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey, 
in  company  with  his  father,  and  other  members  of  the  family. 

On  June  19,  1746,  the  Shrewsbury  Church,  of  which  he 
was  a  constituent  member,  called  him  to  ordination,  and 
arrangements  were  made  at  once  to  send  him  to  Westerly 
to  be  ordained.  Accordingly,  five  days  afterward,  taking  a 
letter  written  by  Joseph  Maxson  in  behalf  of  the  Shrewsbury 
Church,  to  the  church  at  Westerly,  making  known  the  wishes 
of  the  former  church,  he  set  sail  for  Westerly,  where  he  arrived 
safely  after  a  week's  voyage.  Here  the  letter  was  read  to  the 
Westerly  Church  at  the  Sabbath  service  on  July  12.  The 
Westerly  Church  at  once  voted  to  grant  the  request,  and  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  following  day,  he  was  ordained.  The  ordi- 
nation service  was  conducted  by  Rev.  Joseph  Maxson,  assisted 
by  Rev.  John  Maxson  and  Deacon  Clarke. 

He  returned  to  Shrewsbury,  but  after  serving  the  church 
about  eight  years  as  its  pastor,  he  died  at  Manasquan,  in  the 
town  of  Shrewsbury,  August  18,  1854. 


398      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

REV.  JACOB  DAVIS. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  a  son  of  James  Davis,  a  grandson  of 
Rev.  William  Davis,  and  a  nephew  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  was 
born  at  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey,  in  1748. 

He  was  baptized  and  received  into  the  Shrewsbury 
Church,  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman,  in  the  year  1772 ;  and  was 
afterward  licenced  to  preach.  On  the  19th  of  June,  1774,  the 
church  gave  him  a  formal  call  to  ordination.  The  ordination 
service,  which  was  conducted  at  the  home  of  Thomas  Babcock, 
by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham  and  Rev.  Jonathan  Jarman,  prob- 
ably took  place  on  February  2y,  177 S-^ 

The  War  of  the  Revolution  claimed  him  as  a  chaplain, 
but  he  obtained  frequent  furloughs,  and  came  home  to  min- 
ister to  the  wants  of  his  flock.  It  was  under  his  leadership  that 
the  church  erected  its  first  house  of  worship  amid  the  perils 
and  hardships  of  war,  and  it  was  to  him  that  the  deed  for  the 
church  lot  was  entrusted  for  safe  keeping. 

When  the  Shrewsbury  Church  emigrated  to  western  Vir- 
ginia in  1789,  he  accompanied  it  to  its  new  home,  and  amid 
all  the  vicissitudes  and  hardships  of  life  in  a  wilderness,  he 
never  faltered  in  the  path  of  duty.  Often  with  his  pack  upon 
his  back,  amid  constant  danger  from  the  Indians,  he  travelled 
on  foot  from  New  Salem  to  the  West  Fork  River,  thence  on 
to  White  Day  Creek,  and  finally  to  the  Woodbridgetown 
Church  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania.  It  was  upon  one  of 
these  journeys  in  July,  1793,  that  he  was  taken  sick  at  Wood- 
bridgetown, and  died  on  the  17th  of  that  month.  He  lies 
in  an  unnamed  grave  at  Woodbridgetown. 

His  wife  was  Mary  Davis,  a  daughter  of  William  Davis, 
who  in  turn  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  the  son  of  Rev, 
William  Davis,  the  founder  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church. 

To  Jacob  and  Mary  Davis  were  born  the  following  chil- 
dren (order  uncertain)  : —  Jacob,  Zebulon,  Samuel,  Cran- 
dall,  Mary  (Polly),  Lydia.  and  Elisabeth. 

There  are  reasons  for  believing  that  Jacob  Davis  studied 
at  Brown  University. 

REV.  JOHN  DAVIS,  2D. 

Rev.  John  Davis,  2d,  was  born  May  i,  1754,  in  Shrews- 
bury, Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey.     He  was  the  son  of 


1.     Vid.  pp.  18-19  iupra . 


APPENDIX 


399 


William  Davis,  who  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  who, 
in  turn,  was  the  son  of  Rev.  William  Davis,  the  founder  of  the 
Shrewsbury  Church. 

John  Davis,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  brother  of 
Mary  Davis,  wafe  of  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  preceding. 

He  was  elected  a  ruling  elder  in  the  New  Salem  Church, 
on  November  i6,  1799.  On  the  same  date  the  church  licenced 
him  to  preach,  and  also  voted  that  he  should  be  ordained. 
Arrangements  were  made  for  the  ordination  service  to  take 
place  on  the  8th  of  the  succeeding  June,  but  owing  to  the 
absence  of  ministers  who  were  expected  to  be  present,  the 
service  was  postponed.  It  took  place,  however,  at  some  time 
between  January  11  and  May  10  of  the  following  year,  and 
was  conducted  by  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge  of  the  Wood- 
bridgetown  (Pennsylvania)  Church,  and  Rev.  John  Patterson. 

At  once  he  began  service  for  the  New  Salem  Church  as 
its  pastor ;  and  from  the  date  of  the  organisation  of  the  Lost 
Creek  Church,  in  1805,  he  was  pastor  of  that  church  also. 

With  the  exception  of  a  short  period  about  the  year  181 1, 
when,  for  a  short  time,  he  removed  to  the  state  of  Ohio,  where 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Mad  River  Church,  he  ministered  to 
the  wants  of  both  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek  Churches, 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  June  22,  1842,  in  the  eighty- 
ninth  year  of  his  age.  He  was  buried  in  the  graveyard  on 
Broad  Run,  about  two  miles  west  of  Jane  Lew,  in  Lewis 
County,  Virginia. 

He  established  his  home  on  the  Brushy  Fork  of  Elk  Creek, 
some  ten  miles  distant  from  the  Lost  Creek  Church.  He  sus- 
tained an  intimate  relationship  with  the  Baptists  on  Brushy 
Fork,  as  well  as  on  Broad  Run. 

Abram  VanHorn,  Sr.,  a  native  of  Holland,  came  from  the 
vicinity  of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church,  in  Pennsylvania,  and 
settled  near  the  home  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  on  Brushy  Fork. 
The  former  had  a  family  of  five  children, — three  sons  and  two 
daughters.  Through  the  influence  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  the 
oldest  son  of  Abram  VanHorn,  Sr.,  Job,  as  well  as  several  of 
his  (Job's)  family  embraced  the  Sabbath,  as  follows: —  His 
son-in-law,  James  Kennedy;  his  son  William,  who  was  married  ; 
his  son  Abram,  Jr.,  who  was  unmarried;  his  daughter  Abby, 
who  married  Abner  Batten,  afterward  a  deacon  in  the  Lost 


<lOO      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Creek  Church;  and  Betsey  (EHsabeth),  who  married  IMoses 
Hoffman,  for  several  years  clerk  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church. 
Abram  VanHorn,  Sr.,  who  was  at  first  sadly  disappointed 
at  the  course  of  his  son  and  grandchildren,  at  length  became 
reconciled  to  what  they  had  done,  and  finally  embraced  the 
Sabbath  himself.^ 

Rev.  John  Davis  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  drew  a  pension  for  that  service.  For  several  years 
previous  to  his  death,  he  was  too  enfeebled  physically  and 
mentally  to  preach.  At  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  oldest 
minister  among  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists. 

Some  of  his  children  were  as  follows : —  Rev.  Lewis  A. 
Davis ;  Sarah,  wife  of  Jacob  Davis,  3d,  and  grandmother  of 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts;  Amy,  wife  of  George  Davis,  and  grand- 
mother of  Rev.  Darius  K.  Davis,  the  son  of  Eliona  Davis; 
Zippa,  wife  of  Samuel  F.  Randolph,  the  son  of  Jesse  F.  Ran- 
dolph; Mary  (Polly),  wife  of  William  F.  Randolph,  and 
mother  of  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  and  grandmother  of  Rev. 
William  L.  Burdick.^* 

REV.    LEWIS   A.    DAVIS. 

Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  a  lineal  descendant  in  the  fifth  gen- 
eration, of  William  Davis,  the  founder  of  the  Shrewsbury 
Church,  was  a  son  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  2d,  in  this  line,  and  wai 
born  in  western  Virginia,  August  20,  1801. 

When  he  was  about  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  was  baptized 
and  became  a  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church. 

In  his  twentieth  year,  he  visited  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
churches  in  New  Jersey,  Connecticut,  and  Rhode  Island,  and 
attended  the  annual  session  of  the  General  Conference  at  Hop- 
kinton,  Rhode  Island.  He  then  visited  Ohio,  and  pursued 
private  studies  for  a  short  time  under  the  tuition  of  a  clergy- 
man, whom  he  paid  with  a  half  month's  labour.  He  was  soon 
obliged  to  abandon  his  studies,  however,  when  he  returned  to 
Virginia. 

On  February  18,  1821,  he  was  granted  licence  to  preach, 
and  on  January  15,  1824,  he  was  ordained  a  Gospel  minister. 


1.  For  this  information  relating  to  Abram  VanHorn,  Sr.,  and  his  son  Job  and 
family,  the  author  is  indebted  to  Rev.  Richard  C.  Bond. 

2.  For  information  relating  to  the  children  of  Rev.  John  Davis,  the  author  is 
indebted  to  Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  and  his  father,  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis. 

(25) 


REV.    LEWIS    A.    DAVIS, 


APPENDIX 


401 


The  ordination  service  was  conducted  by  Rev.  John  Green, 
assisted  by  Rev.  John  Davis  and  Rev.  Peter  Davis. 

For  some  time,  he  engaged  in  general  missionary  labour 
in  Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Indiana,  travelling  from 
place  to  place  on  horseback. 

Having  decided  to  remove  to  Ohio  for  his  home,  a  com- 
mittee of  the  Lost  Creek  Church  followed  him  after  he  had 
started,  and  induced  him  to  return.  He  remained  nearly  a  year 
longer  in  Virginia.  He  finally  decided,  however,  to  make  his 
home  in  Ohio,  and  on  August  16,  1833,  the  New  Salem  Church 
granted  him  and  his  wife,  Rebecca,  letters  of  dismissal  to 
join  the  Pike  Church  of  Ohio. 

He  soon  devoted  his  entire  time  to  the  work  of  the  minis- 
try. To  provide  himself  and  his  family  with  the  means  of 
sustenance,  he  sold  his  farm.  When  the  proceeds  of  his  farm 
were  exhausted,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  study  of  medi- 
cine. After  the  necessary  preparation,  he  practised  medicine 
for  a  living,  but  continued  to  preach  at  the  same  time,  achiev- 
ing success  in  both  professions. 

His  health  failed,  and  he  was  obliged  to  relinquish  his 
work  for  an  imperative  rest.  After  a  vacation  of  a  year  or 
two,  he  resumed  his  professional  duties. 

After  a  term  of  service  at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio,  and  then 
at  Farmington,  Illinois,  he  finally  removed  to  Welton,  Iowa, 
where  he  died  October  12,  1867. 

His  ministerial  activities  extended  over  a  period  of  forty- 
five  years.  Two  weeks  before  his  death,  he  concluded  a  series 
of  sermons  on  the  Lord's  Prayer. 

He  compiled  a  volume  of  sacred  hymns,  which  he  called 
the  Sacred  Lyre. 

REV.  PETER  DAVIS. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis  was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  New  Jersey, 
September  16,  1783,  and  was,  consequently,  about  six  years 
of  age  when  he  accompanied  his  parents  in  the  emigration  of 
the  Shrewsbury  Church  to  western  Virginia. 

He  was  a  lineal  descendant  of  Rev.  William  Davis,  the 
founder  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church.  His  father  was  William 
Davis,  known  in  Virginia  as  "Greenbrier  Billy"  to  distinguish 
him  from  the  several  other  William  Davises,  among  whom 
were,   "Jarsey   Billy,"   "Bottom   Billy,"   "Flint   Billy,"   "Rock 


402       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST   VIRGINIA 

Run  Billy, 'V^  al.  His  mother  was  Elisabeth  Johnson,  a  daugh- 
ter, probably,  of  Elisha  Johnson  and  Amy  Davis,  who  were 
married  in  Monmouth  County,  New  Jersey,  October  28,  1755. 

"Greenbrier  Billy"  was  a  cousin  of  "Jarsey  Billy,"  whose 
first  wife  was  a  sister  of  Elisabeth  Johnson,  the  wife  of  "Green- 
brier Billy."  His  ("Jarsey  Billy's")  second  wife  was  the 
widowed  mother  of  Joseph  Jeffrey,  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Middle  Island  Church  in  the  first  period  of  its  history. 

"Jarsey  Billy"  was  a  brother  of  Captain  Nathan  Davis, 
a  soldier  of  the  War  of  181 2,  on  whose  lands  the  present  vil- 
lage of  West  Union  in  Doddridge  County,  West  Virginia,  was 
laid  out. 

"Jarsey  Billy"  and  Captain  Nathan  Davis  were  sons  of 
Nathan  Davis,  who  was  born  May  9,  1740,  and  Anna  Gifford, 
born  January  7,  1742.     They  were  married  January  19,  1761. 

Nathan  Davis  (born  May  9,  1740)  was,  in  turn,  the  son 
of  William  Davis,  who  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John  Davis  of  the 
Shrewsbury  Church,  who,  in  his  turn,  was  the  son  of  Rev. 
William  Davis,  the  founder  of  that  church.^ 

So  that,  doubtless,  "Greenbrier  Billy,"  the  father  of  Rev. 
Peter  Davis,  was  the  grandson  of  William  Davis,  the  son  of 
Rev.  John  Davis,  of  the  Shrewsbury  Church. 

Rev.  Peter  Davis,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
became  a  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  probably,  on 
August  16,  1807;  certainly,  at  some  time  previous  to  Decem- 
ber 28,  1815.  On  June  19,  1819,  he  was  chosen  a  deacon  in 
the  New  Salem  Church.  He  was  licenced  to  preach  Novem- 
ber 21,  1819,  and  ordained  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  in  Decem- 
ber, 1823,  at  Middle  Island  (Lewisport),  by  Rev.  John  Greene, 
assisted  by  Rev.  John  Davis. 

He  at  once  engaged  in  pastoral  labour  in  the  New  Salem 
Church,  along  with  Rev.  John  Davis. 

The  soundness  of  his  theological  views  was  called  in  ques- 
tion at  different  times  during  his  ministry.  In  1825,  his  doc- 
trine of  the  immortality  of  man  excited  some  fears,  which  were 
soon  shown  be  groundless.  In  1834,  his  attitude  toward 
church  government,  particularly  toward  open  communion,  was 
at  variance  with  the  views  of  a  large  number  of  the  church. 

I.     From   Mss.   in   possession  of  Lewis  Townsend   Davis,  Esq.,  of  West   Union, 
West    Virginia. 


APPENDIX  403 

Again,  at  a  period  late  in  his  active  ministry,  he  startled  the 
church  by  declaring  that  the  purpose  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
had  been  fulfilled,  and  that  it  had  passed  away. 

His  life  was  replete  with  faithful,  conscientious  service. 
From  his  home  at  the  head  of  Greenbrier  Run,  he  was  accus- 
tomed to  walk  to  New  Salem  on  Sabbath  mornings  to  preach. 
On  these  walks,  he  was  accompanied,  frequently,  by  members 
of  the  church,  whose  homes  were  on  the  road  to  New  Salem. 

Reared  amid  privation  and  adversity,  his  life  and  charac- 
ter were  naturally  colored  by  his  environment,  and  his 
career  as  a  soldier  added  a  modicum  of  influence.  But  his 
tender  heart  was  as  big  and  loyal,  as  he  was  rugged  and 
uncompromising. 

Although  the  Greenbrier  Church  was  organised  in  1870, 
he  retained  his  membership  in  the  New  Salem  Church  to  the 
end  of  his  life. 

His  wife,  Sarah,  died  January  24,  1868;  and  he,  an  inva- 
lid, partly  blind,  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  was  tenderly 
cared  for  by  his  dutiful  daughter,  Jemima,  the  wife  of  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis.  On  the  4th  of  March,  1873,  he  passed  to  his 
eternal  reward  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-nine  years,  five  months, 
and  sixteen  days. 

REV.    JAMES   BALL   DAVIS.^ 

Rev.  James  Ball  Davis,  son  of  Jacob  and  Prudence 
(Maxson)  Davis,  was  born  in  what  is  now  Lewis  County, 
West  Virginia,  October  i,  18 14. 

When  he  was  about  fifteen  months  old  his  mother  died, 
and  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  he  was  left  without  a  father. 
After  the  death  of  his  father,  he  remained  on  the  farm  with 
his  stepmother  until  he  was  in  his  seventeenth  year,  when 
he  went  to  the  state  of  Ohio. 

He  was  married.  May  17,  1833,  to  Jane  Hopping.  To 
them  were  born  eight  children,  six  of  whom  lived  to  reach 
adult  life. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  soon  after  going  to  Ohio,  he 
became  a  member  of  one  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches 
there.  In  1840,  the  Pike  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  member, 
granted  him  licence  to  preach,   and  sent  him  as   a  delegate 


I.     The   author   is   indebted   to   Mrs.    George   H.    Trainer   of   New   Salem,   West 
Virginia,   for  material  aid  in  the  preparation  of  this   sketch. 


404       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  South-Western  Association, 
which  met  that  year  with  the  church  at  New  Salem,  Vir- 
ginia. While  in  attendance  at  the  association,  he  preached  his 
first  sermon  as  an  accredited  minister  of  the  Gospel,  at  an 
evening  service,  held  at  the  home  of  John  Sutton,  on  Green- 
brier Run. 

In  1843,  with  some  five  other  ministers,  he  organised  a 
preaching  circuit  extending  from  Northhampton  to  the 
"Yankee  Street"  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  on  the  Sciota 
River,  covering  a  distance  of  seventy-five  miles,  with  eleven 
preaching  stations,  requiring  four  weeks  for  the  trip.  These 
six  men  took  turns  in  covering  this  route,  and  gave  their  ser- 
vices free  of  charge. 

His  wife  died  in  1853,  and  his  own  health  failing,  he 
gave  up  preaching  temporarily,  and  returned  to  Virginia, 
where  he  was  married  in  1854  to  Emily  X'irginia  Davis,  daugh- 
ter of  William  F.  and  Rachel  (Hughes)  Davis.  He  then 
returned  to  Ohio  and  resumed  his  labours  as  a  minister. 

In  the  summer  of  1857,  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
western  Virginia,  and  settled  at  New  Milton,  in  Doddridge 
County.  He  and  his  wife  joined  the  New  Salem  Church, 
but  upon  the  re-organisation  of  the  Middle  Island  Church, 
in  1866,  he  became  a  member  of  that  church,  by  which  he  was 
at  once  licenced  to  preach.  On  March  i,  1867,  the  church 
called  him  to  ordination ;  and  in  compliance  with  a  request  of 
the  church,  a  council  composed  of  delegates  from  the  New 
Salem,  Lost  Creek,  and  Middle  Island  churches  met  with  the 
Middle  Island  Church  on  September  5,  1867.  The  council 
recommended  his  ordination.  Accordingly,  early  in  the  year 
1868,  he  was  ordained.  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  conducting  the 
ordination  service,  assisted  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis. 

At  various  times  he  was  formally  invited  by  the  Middle 
Island  Church  to  serve  as  its  pastor,  but  without  waiting  for 
such  action,  he  preached  with  great  regularity  for  the  church, 
once  a  month,  from  the  time  of  its  re-organisation  for  a  period 
of  twenty  years  or  more.  The  interests  of  the  church  he  placed 
above  everything  else,  and  his  hand  was  its  ruling  influence 
throughout  this  period. 

Upon  the  organisation  of  the  Ritchie  Church  in  1870,  he 
was  invited  to  become  its  pastor.    But  as  the  church  was  thirty 


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APPENDIX  405 

miles  away  from  his  home,  and  his  pastoral  duties  there  placed 
him  at  a  great  disadvantage,  for  that  reason  he  resigned  the 
charge  at  the  end  of  one  year. 

He  established  and  maintained  a  preaching  station  on  the 
Bear  Fork  of  Cove  Creek,  where  through  his  influence,  a 
church  was  organised  in  1881. 

Compelled  to  maintain  his  family  by  labour  upon  his  farm, 
and  at  his  trade  as  a  wagon-maker,  he,  nevertheless,  made  the 
most  clear-cut  personal  impress  upon  the  Middle  Island 
Church,  of  any  one  man  upon  any  one  of  the  existing  churches 
of  the  South-Eastern  Association. 

In  1889,  he  removed  from  his  home  near  New  Milton  to 
Salem,  and  again  united  with  the  New  Salem  Church.  Here 
he  passed  the  remaining  years  of  his  life  in  restful  peace.. 
Although  his  activity  in  church  work  ceased  about  this  time, 
he  maintained  the  same  deep  interest  that  characterised  his 
life,  to  the  end. 

He  died  at  Salem,  July  2,  1902,  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty- 
nine  years,  nine  months,  and  one  day. 

REV.    SAMUEL    DAVIS    DAVIS. ^ 

Rev.  Samuel  Davis  Davis  was  born  at  what  is  now  Jane 
Lew%  West  Virginia,  July  6,  1824. 

He  was  the  son  of  Jacob  Davis,  2d,  and  Sarah  (Hofif- 
man)  Davis.  His  great-great-grandfather  was  Rev.  William 
Davis,  the  Welshman  who  founded  the  Shrewsbury  Cluirch. 
Rev.  William  Davis's  sixth  son,  James,  was  the  father  of  Rev. 
Jacob  Davis,  who  was  the  father  of  Jacob  Davis,  2d,  who 
was  the  father  of  Rev.  Samuel  Davis  Davis. 

Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Peter  Davis 
in  March,  1837,  and  soon  afterward,  was  received  into  mem- 
bership in  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  by  Rev.  Stillman  Coon, 
who  was  engaged  in  missionary  labour  in  western  Virginia 
at  that  time. 

His  father  died  when  he  was  but  three  and  a  half  years 
old,  and  at  an  early  age  he  became  the  mainstay  of  his 
widowed  mother  and  four  orphan  sisters.  His  boyhood  and 
early  manhood  were  filled  with  poverty,  hardship,  and  toil. 


I.  For  rtiuch  of  the  material  for  this  biography,  as  well  as  those  of  Rev. 
John,  I  St,  Rev.  John  Davis,  2d,  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  ist,  the  author  is  indebted 
to    Rev.    Boothe    C.    Davis,    President   of   Alfred    University. 


4o6      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

In  the  year  1841,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  was 
licenced  by  the  Lost  Creek  Church  to  preach  "within  the 
bounds  of  the  church,"  and  was  appointed  to  preach  one  Sab- 
bath in  each  month  for  the  church.  This  hcence  was  renewed 
from  year  to  year,  until  in  1840,  when,  under  date  of  Septem- 
ber II,  he  was  given  a  formal  certificate  of  licence  to  preach, 
signed  by  the  clerk  of  the  church,  and  renewed  from  year  to 
year  as  follows : — 

"This  is  to  certify,  to  all  whom  it  may  concern,  That  Samuel  D. 
Davis  is  a  member  in  good  standing  in  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church  on  Lost  Creek,  Harrison  County,  and  State  of  Virginia;  and 
as  such,  we  do  licence  and  authorise  him  to  preach  the  Gospel  for  one 
year,  wherever  a  door  of  usefulness  may  be  opened. 

"Done  by  order  of  the  Church,  this  the  nth  day  of  September, 
1846. 

"Thos.  B.  Bond,  Cl'k." 

"This  is  to  certify.  That  the  Lost  Creek  Church  has  extended  the 
licence  of  Bro.  Saml.  Davis  to  preach  the  Gospel  one  year. 

"Sept.    loth,    1847. 

"Done  by  order  of  the  Church. 

"Thos.   B.   Bond,  Cl'k." 

"This  is  to  certify,  That  the  Lost  Creek  Church  has  extended  the 
licence  of  Bro.  Samuel  D.  Davis  to  preach  the  Gospel  one  year. 

"Done  by  order  of  the  Church,  this  the  8th  day  of  September, 
1848. 

"Jacob  D.wis,  Clerk." 

"This  is  to  certify.  That  this  licence  is  continued. 

"Done  by  order   of  the   Church,   this   the   7th   day   of   September, 

1849- 

"Jacob  Davis,  Clerk." 

At  a  meeting  of  the  church  held  on  September  7,  1849, 
he  was  requested  to  take  his  ordination  into  consideration. 
This  he  was  reluctant  to  do.  Nevertheless,  at  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  South-Western  Association,  held  with  the  church  at 
Lost  Creek,  in  the  following  October,  the  church  asked  that 
he  be  ordained.  Rev.  Peter  Davis  was  the  only  ordained  min- 
ister present,  however,  and  his  physical  condition  was  such 
that  on  the  second  day  of  the  session,  he  was  compelled  to 
resign  his  office  as  presiding  officer  of  the  association  and 
consequently  did  not  feel  equal  to  the  task  of  conducting  an 
ordination  service.  Accordingly,  the  ordination  was  post- 
poned. 

On   the   27th    of    the     following    January,    the     church 


Ki:\'.    I'.OOTHK   COLWKl.L  DAVIS,    1).    I)..    PRKSIDEXT   OF    ALFRKD 
U.\■I\'FJ<STT^■. 


APPENDIX  407 

instructed  Rev.  Azor  Estee,  who  was  engaged  in  pastoral 
labour  with  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  to  make 
the  necessary  arrangements  for  the  ordination. 

Th  ordination  took  place  on  May  11,  succeeding,  when 
Samuel  D.  Davis  was  solemnly  set  apart  to  the  sacred  duties 
of  the  office  to  which  he  had  been  called,  at  a  service  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  Azor  Estee  and  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  at  Lost 
Creek.     The  certificate  of  ordination  is  as  follows : — 

"To  all  whom  it  may  concern: — 

"This  may  certify  that  our  beloved  brother  Samuel  D.  Davis,  of 
the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of  Lost  Creek,  Va.,  was  solemnly 
set  apart  and  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  Gospel  Ministry,  by  prayer 
and  the  imposition  of  our  hands  at  Lost  Creek,  Harrison  County,  Va., 
on  the  eleventh  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  fifty. 

"Given  under  our  hands  at  Lost  Creek,  this  eleventh  day  of  May, 
1850. 

"Azor  Estee, 
"Peter   Davis, 

"Elders." 

Soon  after  his  ordination,  he  was  called  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  and  with  such  brief  intervals  as 
ill  health  demanded  for  rest,  he  sustained  that  relation  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  resigning  in  1875. 

During  this  pastorate,  aside  from  maintaining  the  appoint- 
ments of  the  church,  he  devoted  much  time  to  evangelistic  and 
revival  meetings  in  western  Virginia,  such  work  extending 
to  all  the  churches  in  that  region  together  with  their  many 
outposts. 

In  1867,  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches  sent 
him  and  Rev.  Jacob  Davis  as  missionaries  on  a  visit  to  Shel- 
byville,  Tennesee.  Some  two  years  afterward,  he  again  vis- 
ited Tennessee  under  the  auspices  of  the  American  Sabbath 
Tract  Society  to  labour  with  Rev.  James  Bailey,  in  the  interest 
of  Sabbath  Reform.  Although  strongly  urged  by  the  Amer- 
ican Sabbath  Tract  Society  to  go  upon  that  field  and  remain 
indefinitely,  he,  nevertheless,  declined,  believing  the  interests 
there  were  too  great  to  be  served  adequately  in  the  time  that 
he  felt  that  he  could  spare  from  the  West  Virginia  field,  to 
which  under  the  call  of  duty,  he  had  pledged  his  life  work. 

Under  his  leadership  and  pastoral  care,  the  Lost  Creek 


408      SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Church  increased  its  membership  from  about  sixty-five  at  the 
time  he  became  its  pastor,  to  upwards  of  two  hundred  when  he 
finally  resigned.  It  had  also  built  and  dedicated  a  new  com- 
modious brick  house  of  worship. 

When  he  became  pastor  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  the 
only  other  active  churches  were  the  New  Salem  and  South 
Fork  of  Hughes  River  (Pine  Grove)  churches.  With  the 
founding  and  organisation  of  every  existing  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist church  now  in  the  South-Eastern  Association,  except  the 
New  Salem,  Lost  Creek,  and  Middle  Island  churches,  he  has 
t)een  intimately  connected. 

Perhaps  the  most  trying  experience  in  his  pastorate  at 
Lost  Creek,  was  that  of  the  events  of  the  Civil  War.  Hie 
political  views  of  the  members  of  the  church  were  widely 
divergent  fundamentally,  and  there  was  every  incentive  to 
precipitate  unguarded  action,  as  well  as  great  danger  of  arous- 
ing blind  and  unreasoning  passions.  Himself,  an  uncomprom- 
ising abolitionist,  he  was  diplomatic  enough  withal,  not  only 
to  retain  the  confidence  and  affection  of  all  his  church,  but  like- 
wise to  prevent  any  outburst,  or  open  rupture  in  it. 

During  more  than  half  of  his  term  of  service  with  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  he  received  no  stipulated  salary,  receiving 
only  such  contributions  as  individual  members  might  ofifer 
him.  In  one  year  of  this  period,  he  travelled  upward  of  six 
hundred  miles  on  horseback,  preaching  in  the  church  and  in 
school  houses,  holding  special  meetings  and  visiting  people 
in  their  homes,  and  receiving  for  the  entire  year,  a  financial 
remuneration  aggregating  six  dollars  ($6.00),  a  part  of  which 
was  in  merchandise. 

During  these  years,  he  maintained  his  family  upon  his 
farm,  which  had  to  be  paid  for  from  his  earnings,  performing 
the  labour,  for  the  most  part,  with  his  own  hands,  and  fre- 
quently toiling  till  the  midnight  hour. 

During  the  latter  part  of  his  pastorate  with  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  it  had  become  sufficiently  prosperous  to  pay  the  pastor 
a  small  salary,  which  never  exceeded  three  hundred  dollars 
($300.00)  annually. 

In  the  spring  of  1876,  after  he  had  previously  resigned 
the  pastorate  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  he  assisted  Rev. 
Charles  M.  Lewis  in  a  series  of  revival  meetings  conducted 


REV.   SAMUEL   IIOFFMAX   DAVIS. 


APPENDIX  409 

by  the  latter  at  New  Salem.  These  meetings  resulted  in  about 
fifty  accessions  to  the  church,  and  in  his  being  called  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  New  Salem  Church. 

This  pastorate  continued  for  a  term  of  three  years,  greatly 
to  the  good  of  the  church,  which  was  strengthened  by  growth 
of  spiritual  life,  and  by  accessions  to  its  numbers. 

In  the  year  1879,  ^^^  returned  to  his  farm  near  Jane  Lew, 
and  engaged  in  evangelistic  and  missionary  work,  indepen- 
dently. In  the  following  year,  1880,  the  Board  of  Managers 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society,  engaged  him 
as  a  general  field  missionary,  to  labour  in  West  Virginia  under 
its  direction. 

For  more  than  ten  years  he  continued  in  this  service, 
constantly  visiting  pastorless  churches,  conducting  revival 
meetings  in  every  church  and  Sabbath-keeping  community 
within  the  bound  of  the  South-Eastern  Association,  and  call- 
ing upon  the  families  from  house  to  house. 

Such  labour  as  this  he  had  performed  lavishly  during  his 
long  pastorate  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church,  and  the  results  had 
been  gratifying ;  but  now  that  the  opportunity  to  do  such  work 
was  larger,  the  beneficent  results  were  correspondingly 
greater.  The  membership  of  the  churches  was  increased, 
converts  to  the  Sabbath  resulted,  and  new  churches  were 
organised. 

The  field  of  such  activities  was  not  limited  to  West  Vir- 
ginia. It  extended  to  the  church  at  Jackson  Centre,  Ohio, 
where  he  had  visited  at  different  times  previously ;  to  Salem- 
ville,  Pennsylvania,  where  in  1885,  he  organised  a  prosperous 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  ;  and  to  Cumberland  County,  North 
Carolina,  where  he  found  a  strong  prejudice  against  such 
work  as  he  was  engaged  in  doing.  This  prejudice  he  had 
the  gratifying  pleasure  of  seeing  give  way  to  a  hearty  wel- 
come to  Seventh  Day  Baptist  home  missionaries. 

After  the  close  of  his  labours  under  the  direction  of  the 
Missionary  Board,  he  continued  to  do  missionary  and  evan- 
gelistic work  independently,  until  recently,  when  the  infirm- 
ities of  advancing  age  have  compelled  him  almost  wholly 
to  relinquish  active  ministerial  labour. 

He  was  three  times  married.  First,  to  Elisabeth  Ford, 
who  died  in  1851.     His  second  wife  died  in  1861.     His  third 


4IO       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

wife,  the  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Elisabeth  (GiUis)  Fitz  Ran- 
dolph, who  is  still  living  has  been  his  faithful,  sympathetic 
companion  for  upwards  of  forty  years. 

Three  sons  were  born  to  him  by  his  first  marriage,  two 
of  whom  died  in  infancy.  The  oldest,  S.  Orlando,  lives  at 
Jane  Lew,  West  Virginia. 

Four  sons  were  born  to  him  by  the  third  marriage. 
Boothe  Colwell  lives  at  Alfred,  New  York;  Morton  Wardner, 
at  Salem.  West  Virginia,  and  Samuel  Hoffman,  in  Boston, 
Massachusetts.     Simeon  Gillis  died  at  six  years  of  age. 

It  is  not  given  many  men  to  grasp  the  really  great  oppor- 
tunities of  life,  and  to  fewer  yet,  to  enjoy  to  its  full,  the  fruit 
of  the  possibilities  of  such  opportunities  when  once  seized 
upon  and  wrought  out. 

To  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis  came  a  magnificent  opportunity, 
— an  opportunity,  however,  that  to  most  on-lookers  must,  at 
best,  have  appeared  to  be  sadly  obscured  and  doubtful.  To  him 
inviting  as  it  was  magnificent,  it  revealed  no  less  surely  its 
hardships  and  toil.  But  it  was  worth  the  effort.  And  to  the 
work  of  cultivating  the  soil  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
churches  of  West  Virginia,  he  addressed  himself.  No  spot 
was  left  unturned.  There  was  no  plant  not  watered,  none 
so  unpromising  as  not  to  receive  the  tenderest  care,  none  so 
thrifty  as  not  to  need  cultivation.  He  has  literally  been  a 
pastor  to  every  church  in  the  association.  The  indelible 
impress  of  his  personality  is  everywhere. 

And  he  has  wrought  wisely  and  well.  As  he  has  seen 
western  Virginia  develop  from  the  crude  conditions  of  fron- 
tier life  into  conditions  of  civilisation,  comfort,  and  it  might 
almost  be  said,  luxury,  he  has  also  seen  the  religious  and  spir- 
itual life  keep  pace  with  the  changing  conditions  of  material 
things.  He  has  seen  the  primitive  meeting  house  give  place 
to  neat,  attractive,  and  commodious  houses  of  worship.  He 
has  seen  the  attitude  of  the  church  toward  its  pastor  change 
so  that  the  latter  may  expect  a  comfortable  maintenance, 
from  the  former. 

Was  it  worth  the  while?  It  has  produced  Salem  College. 
It  has  given  Alfred  University  a  president.  West  Mrginia 
has  produced  men  who,  scattered  in  different  places, 
participate  actively  in  the  affairs  that  make  for  the  destiny 


APPENDIX  411 

of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  denomination, — in  the  affairs  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Education  Society,  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society,  the  American  Sabbath  Tract  Soci- 
ety, and  the  Sabbath  School  Board  of  the  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist General  Conference,  and  other  places  of  trust  and  respon- 
sibility. 

To-day,  besides  all  this,  the  fruits  of  his  work  may  be  seen 
in  one  of  the  healthiest  and  most  promising  groups  of  churches 
of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  denomination.  Surely,  it  was 
worth  the  while. 

The  highest  academic  honours  paid  for  ecclesiastical  ser- 
vice, as  tokens  of  superiour  merit,  are  awarded  for  either  of 
two  reasons ;  viz.,  Scholastic  attainments,  or  signal  service 
to  the  church.  No  Seventh  Day  Baptist  can  lay  claim  to 
greater  service  to  the  church,  than  can  Samuel  Davis  Davis, 
but  his  highest  honour,  his  chiefest  delight  is  to  be  called  a 
Minister  of  the  Gospel. 

REV.    JACOB   DAVIS,    2D. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  2d,  the  son  of  Jesse  Maxson  and 
Abigail  (Hoffman)  Davis,  was  born  in  Harrison  County,  Vir- 
ginia, August  15,  1827.  Jesse  Maxson  Davis  was  the  son  of 
Jacob  Davis,  the  son  of  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  of  the  Shrewsbury 
Church. 

In  early  life,  Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  2d,  was  baptized  by  Rev. 
Richard  C.  Bond,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Lost  Creek 
Church,  which  he  served  for  several  years  as  clerk. 

In  the  year  1858,  he  removed  his  membership  from  the 
Lost  Creek  Church  to  the  New  Salem  Church,  the  latter 
church  admitting  him  to  membership  on  May  14,  of  that 
year. 

On  November  18,  1859,  the  New  Salem  Church  upon 
motion  of  Rev.  David  Clawson,  granted  licence  to  Jacob 
Davis  to  preach  for  one  year  within  the  bounds  of  the  New 
Salem  and  Lost  Creek  churches.  The  formal  action  was  as 
follows : — 

"We  as  a  church,  assembled  for  the  transaction  of  business,  at 
New  Salem,  Va.,  this  i8th  day  of  the  nth  month  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1859,  do  resolve  that  we  extend  a  permission  to  Bro.  Jacob 
Davis  to  improve  his  gifts  in  explaining  the  scripture,  preaching  and 
setting   forth  the  doctrines   of  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  and    Saviour, 


412       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Jesus  Christ ;  hereby  expressing  our  wish  that  in  addition  to  his  here- 
tofore activity  in  leading  in  prayer  and  engaging  in  exhortation,  he 
will  freely  go  forward  in  the  afore-mentioned  duty  as  the  Spirit  may 
give  him  utterance,  for  one  year  from  the  above  date  in  any  of  the 
meetings  of  this  church  for  worship,  when  opportunity  offers  and 
circumstances  justify. 

And  we  also  extend  to  him  the  privilege,  if  he  should  meet  with 
the  church  at  Lost  Creek  and  be  invited  by  them  through  their  Elder, 
Deacons,  or  other  efficient  member,  to  use  the  privilege  the  same  as 
in  the  meetings  of  this  church ;  commending  him  to  God  and  the 
word  of  his  grace,  praying  that  he  may  be  filled  with  the  spirit  of  his 
station,  and  become  an  able  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  [to]  spend  and 
be  spent  in  the  cause, — be  faithful  until  death  and  receive  a  crown  of 
life." 

On  November  20,  1863,  the  clutrch  took  action  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"RESOLVED,  That  Bro.  Jacob  Davis  be  licenced  to  labour  as  a 
Gospel  minister  whenever  and  wherever  an  opportunity  may  offer,  and 
that  the  clerk  write  said  licence  and  tender  it  to  Bro.  Jacob." 

By  joint  action  of  the  New  Salem  and  Lost  Creek 
churches,  he  was  ordained  to  the  Gospel  ministry  at  New 
Salem,   on  August   19,    1865. 

From  this  time  for  a  period  of  a  good  many  years,  he 
served  the  Lost  Creek  and  New  Salem  churches,  one  or  both, 
in  a  pastoral  capacity,  preaching  sometimes  regularly,  at  other 
times  at  irregular  intervals  at  the  various  preaching  stations 
of  these  churches.  After  the  organisation  of  the  Greenbrier 
and  Ritchie  churches,  he  served  them  both,  for  a  time,  as 
pastor. 

In  the  summer  of  1867,  he  accompanied  Rev.  Samuel  D. 
Davis  upon  a  trip  to  Shelbyville,  Tennessee,  in  the  interest 
of  the   New   Salem  and   Lost  Creek  churches.^ 

As  his  home  was  at  the  head  of  Greenbrier  Run,  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Greenbrier  church  when  it  was 
organised  in  1870. 

A-lthough  he  died  at  a  comparatively  early  age,  he  left 
an  indelible  impress  upon  the  churches  of  the  South-Eastern 
Association.  As  a  speaker,  he  was  forceful  and  logical,  delib- 
erate in  his  delivery. 

On  June  5,  1850,  he  was  married  to  Jemima  Davis,  the 
daughter  of  Rev.   Peter  Davis, 


I.     Vtd.   pp.  157-158  supra. 


ki':v.    lAcoi;   n.wis. 


APPENDIX 


4^3 


As  the  remuneration  for  his  services  to  the  church  were 
very  meagre,  in  accordance  with  the  prevaiHng  custom  of 
the  country  at  that  time,  he  supported  himself  and  his  family 
upon  his   farm,  which  he  cultivated  himself. 

He  died  April  4,  1885,  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years, 
seven  months,  and  nineteen  days. 

REV.    ENOCH    DAVID. 

Rev.  Enoch  David  was  born  near  Dover,  on  Duck  Creek, 
in  the  state  of  Delaware,  March  6,  171 5.  His  father,  Owen 
David,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  his  mother  was  born  in 
England.  They  were  both  Presbyterians,  but  Enoch  became  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church  at  Welch  Tract. 

He  afterward  became  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  and 
removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  was  an  active  preacher 
among  the  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  and  near  that  city.  Here 
he  conducted  a  thriving  business  as  a  tailor,  also. 

Under  date  of  June  12,  1792,  the  church  at  Welch  Tract 
gave  him  a  letter  directed  to  the  Baptist  church  in  Middle- 
town,  East  New  Jersey,  certifying  to  his  membership  in  good 
standing  in  the  Welch  Tract  Church,  as  well  as  to  his  exem- 
plary life,  and  commending  him  to  the  care  of  the  ]\Iiddle- 
town  Church  so  long  as  he  might  remain  with  them. 

Soon  afterward,  however,  he  went  to  visit  with  some  of 
his  children  living  in  Fayette  County,  Pennsylvania,  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church.  There  he  shared 
the  care  of  the  Woodbridgetown  Church  with  Rev.  Samuel 
Woodbridge,  until,  as  a  result  of  exposure  while  preaching, 
he  contracted  a  pulmonary  disease  which  ended  in  his  death 
at  the  home  of  his  son-in-law,  John  John,  at  Woodbridge- 
town, November  28,  1793,  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years, 
eight  months,  and  twenty-two  days. 

He  was  married  four  times,  and  had  eleven  children. 
His  oldest  son,  Ebenezer,  was  graduated  from  Brown  Uni- 
versity, in  1772.  A  year  afterward,  Ebenezer  was  licenced 
to  preach  by  the  Newport  (Rhode  Island)  Church,  which  on 
May  31,  1775,  ordained  him  to  the  Gospel  ministry.  He  then 
returned  to  Philadelphia  to  visit  his  father  and  other  friends, 
where  he  enlisted  as  a  chaplain  in  the  American  Army  in 
the  Revolutionary  War.  He  died  in  the  army,  March  19, 
1778. 


414       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Apparently  Enoch  David  never  was  a  member  of  the 
Woodbridgetown  Church,  although  the  names  of  several  of 
his  children  are  found  on  its  roll  of  membership. 

There  are  reasons  for  thinking  that  his  son,  Owen  David, 
at  one  time,  may  have  been  licenced  to  preach  by  the  Wood- 
bridgetown Church,  but  the  church  records  are  silent  upon  the 
question.^ 

REV.   RICHARD  CLAYTON   BOND. 

Rev.  Richard  Clayton  Bond  was  born  April  ii,  1813, 
at  Lost  Creek,  Virginia.  He  was  the  son  of  Abel  Bond,  Jr., 
and   Sarah    (Powers)    Bond. 

On  April  10,  1835,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  granted  him 
licence  to  preach.  On  March  8,  1840,  his  licence  was  renewed 
for  an  indefinite  period.  He  preached  once  a  month  for  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  which,  on  September  5,  1842,  voted  to 
request  the  South-Western  Association  to  ordain  him,  at  its 
annual  session  to  be  held  with  the  church  at  Port  Jefferson, 
Ohio. 

Llis  great-grandfather,  Richard  Bond,  who  was  born  in 
1728,  and  died  January  14,  18 19,  was  the  father  of  Major 
Richard  Bond,  a  soldier  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  who  was 
born  March  9,  1756,  and  died  February  14,  1820. 

Major  Richard  Bond  was  three  times  married :  first,  to 
Tamar  Davis ;  second,  to  Mary  Brumfield,  the  mother  of  his 
children ;  and  third,  to  Mary  Lewis.  He  was  the  older 
brother  of  Deacon  Abel  Bond,  of  the  Lost  Creek  Church, 
whose  home  was  at  Quiet  Dell,  where  the  early  missionaries 
to  western  \^irginia  were  always  first  entertained  on  their 
arrival  upon  that  field. - 

Major  Richard  Bond's  son  Abel,  the  father  of  Rev. 
Richard  Clayton  Bond,  was  born  in  Cecil  County,  Maryland, 
May  20,   1787.     On   November  3,    1807,  he   w-as   married  to 


1.  Cf.     Mss.  of  Rev.   Enoch  David,   Daniel   G.   W.   David,  et  al. 

2.  Abel  Bond  entered  eighty-eight  (88)  acres  of  land  on  Elk  Creek,  in  Har- 
rison County,  Virginia,  in  1800.  In  1838,  the  following  entries  were  made  on  the 
North   Fork  of  Hughes   River: — 

Benjamin   F.   Bond,  one  hundred   (100)   acres. 
Ethelbert   Bond,   one  hundred    (100)   acres. 
Lewis   Bond,  one  hundred  and  ninety-one    (191)   acres. 
Lewis   Bond,   one   hundred   and   sixteen    (116)    acres. 
Cf.     Dyer's  Index  to  Land  Grants  in  West   Virginia. 


KEY.     KUIIAKl)    ('.     I'.OXl). 


APPENDIX  415 

Sarah  Powers,  at  Jane  Lew,  Virginia;  and  in  1845,  ^^'i^h  his 
family  removed  to  Wisconsin. 

Major  Richard  Bond  w^as.  also,  the  father  of  Levi  Bond, 
whose  son  Brumfield  was  the  father  of  Boothe  Bond,  who,  in 
turn  is  the  father  of  Samuel  B.  Bond  and  Elsie  B.  Bond,  both 
of  whom  are  members  of  the  faculty  of  Salem  College. 

Richard  Clayton  Bond  was  baptized,  in  his  eighteenth 
year  by  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  and  became  a  member  of  the 
Lost  Creek  Church. 

On  April  10,  1835,  the  Lost  Creek  Church  granted  him 
licence  to  preach.  On  March  8,  1840,  his  licence  was  renewed 
for  an  indefinite  period.  He  preached  once  a  month  for  the 
Lost  Creek  Church,  which  on  September  5,  1842,  voted  to 
request  the  South-Western  Association  to  ordain  him,  at  its 
annual  session  to  be  held  with  the  church  at  Port  Jeflferson, 
Ohio. 

The  association  referred  the  request  to  its  Presbytery, 
which  recommended  that  the  petition  be  granted.  Accord- 
ingly, on  October  16,  1842,  the  ordination  service  took  place, 
conducted  by  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis,  of  the  Port  Jefferson 
Church,  who  preached  the  sermon,  assisted  by  Rev.  Peter 
Davis  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  who  was  in  attendance  at 
the  association,  and  Rev.  Joshua  Hill,  of  the  Port  Jefferson 
Church. 

During  the  year  1844,  ^"le  represented  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  Missionary  Society  upon  the  western  Virginia  field, 
visiting  the  Woodbridgetown  (Pennsylvania)  Church  also. 
He  had  four  regular  preaching  stations,  which  he  visited 
each  once  a  month. 

Lender  his  ministrations,  the  church  membership  was 
increased,  and  the  activity  of  church  work  quickened. 

On  October  19,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Eliza  Grant. 

In  the  spring  of  1846,  he  removed  to  Wisconsin,  and 
engaged  in  farming,  near  Milton  in  that  state. 

At  the  date  of  this  writing,  August  i,  1905,  his  home  is 
at  Milton  Junction,  Wisconsin. 

SAMUEL   FITZ   RANDOLPH. 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  was  born  in  October,  1738. 
His  great-grandfather,  Edward  Fitz  Randolph,  came  to  Amer- 
ica from  Nottinghamshire,  England,  after  the  middle  of  the 


4i6       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

first  half  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  settled  at  Scituate, 
Plymouth  Colony  (now  Massachusetts), where  he  married, May 
lo,  1637,  Elisabeth  Blossom,  daughter  of  Thomas  Blossom, 
the  first  deacon  of  the  church  in  Plymouth.  In  the  spring 
of  1639,  in  company  with  many  of  his  neighbours,  Edward 
removed  to  Barnstable,  Plymouth  Colony,  where  his  several 
children  were  born.  In  1669,  he  removed  to  Piscataway,  East 
Jersey.  His  son  Thomas,  was  born  at  Barnstable,  August 
16,  1659;  and  on  November  23,  1686,  Thomas  married  Elis- 
abeth Manning  of  Piscataway.  Thomas  and  Elisabeth's  son 
Jonathan,  was  born  at  Piscataway,  January  12,  1692,  or  1693. 
In  the  year  17 17,  Jonathan  married  Mary  ,  of  Piscat- 
away. Thomas  and  Elisabeth's  son  David,  was  born  in  Pis- 
cataway, January  i,  1690  or  1691.  David  married  Sarah 
Molleson,  of  Piscataway,  in   17 12. 

Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mary  Fitz 
Randolph,  married  Margaret,  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Sarah  (Molleson)  Fitz  Randolph,  March  25,  1761.  Margaret 
was  born  in  November,   1739. 

Samuel  and  INIargaret  were  members  of  the  Piscataway 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  as  their  respective  parents  had 
been  before  them,  as  were  also  their  grandparents,  Thomas 
and  Elisabeth  Fitz  Randolph. 

Samuel  enlisted  as  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  the  Revolution, 
where  he  served  as  an  ensign  in  the  Second  Regiment  of 
Sussex  County,  New  Jersey.  His  commission  reads  as  fol- 
lows : — 

"the  state  of  new  jersey. 
'To  Samuel  Randolf,  Gent.,  Greeting: 

"Whereas,  It  hath  been  certified  to  His  Excellency,  William 
Livingston,  Esquire,  Governor  and  Commander-in-chief  of  this  State, 
that  you   have   been   duly  chosen   by  the   Company   of   Militia   in   the 

County  of  Sussex,   (being  the  Company  in  the  Second  Regiment 

of  the  said  County,  whereof  Aaron  Hankinson,  Esqr.,  is  Colonel)  to 
be  ensign  of  the  said  Company ;  you  therefore  are  to  take  the  said 
Company  of  Militia  into  your  charge  and  care  as  ensign  thereof,  and 
duly  to  exercise  both  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  said  company  in 
?rms;  and  as  they  are  hereby  directed  to  obey  you  as  their  Ensign, 
you  are  likewise  to  obey  and  follow  such  orders  and  directions,  from 
time  to  time,  as  you  shall  receive  from  your  Colonel  or  other,  your 
superior  officer  or  officers ;  and  for  your  so  doing,  this  shall  be  your 
commission. 
(26) 


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APPENDIX 


A^7 


"In  Testimony  Whereof  The  Great  Seal  of  the  said  State  is 
hereunto  affixed : 

"Witness  WILLIAM  LIVINGSTON,  Esquire,  Governor,  Captain- 
General  and  Commander-in-chief  in  and  over  the  State  of  New  Jersey 
and  Territories  thereunto  belonging.  Chancellor  and  Ordinary  in  the 
same,  at  Haddonfield,  the  Sixteenth  Day  of  May  in  the  Year  of  our 
Lord,  One  Thousand   Seven  Hundred  and   Seventy-seven. 

[l.   s.]  "WIL:   LIVINGSTON." 

"By  His  Excellency's  Command^ 
"Chas.  Pettitt,  Secry." 

Some  years  after  the  close  of  the  Revolution,  Samuel 
Fitz  Randolph  in  company  with  his  family  removed  to  south- 
western Pennsylvania,  where  he  and  his  wife  both  became 
constituent  members  of  the  Woodbridgetov/n  Church.^  Sub- 
sequently, they  removed  to  western  Virginia,  where  he  estab- 
lished the  village  of  New  Salem.-  Here  they  became  members 
of  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  remained  so  until  their  death. 
Samuel  died,  February  25,  1825  ;  and  Margaret,  February  29, 
1832. 

Samuel  and  Margaret  had  the  following  children : — 
Mary,  born  October  16,  1761  ;  Sarah,  born  November  8, 
1763;  Elisabeth,  born  May  13,  1766;  Jesse,  born  May  21, 
1768;  David,  born  June  23,  1770;  Rhulanah,  born  March  13, 
1773 ;  Jonathan,  born  March  20,  1775 ;  Margaret,  born  Feb- 
ruary 4,  1777;  Nancy,  born  February  19,  1781. 

Mary  married  Jaines  Hill,  November  14,  1795.  She  and 
her  family  removed  to  Ohio. 

Sarah  married,  first,  Daniel  Sharpneck,  and  upon  his 
death,  John  Rice.  Her  home  was  in  south-western  Penn- 
sylvania, not  far  from  the  former  home  of  her  father,  in 
Fayette  County. 

Elisabeth  married  William  Brand,  and  with  her  husband, 
went  to  Ohio. 

Jesse  married,  first,  Delilah  LaForge,  and  upon  her  death, 
Elisabeth  Gillis.  His  daughter  Elisabeth  became  the  wife  of 
Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  and  is  the  mother  of  Rev.  Boothe  C. 
Davis  and  Rev.  Samuel  H.  Davis.  Jesse's  son  John  LaForge, 
was  the  father  of  Rev.  Gideon  Henry  F.  Randolph,  and  the 
grandfather  of  Rev.  Experience  F.  Randolph  (now  Rev.  Perie 
R.  Burdick). 


1.  Cf.      pp.    52,   74,   supra. 

2.  Cf.  pp.   52  et  seq.,  supra. 


4l8       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

David,  upon  his  marriage,  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he 
and  his  father  owned  a  farm,  jointly,  probably  not  far  from 
vCincinnati. 

Hhulanah  married  John  Bonnell. 

Jonathan  married  Mary  Davis,  the  daughter  of  William 
("Greenbrier  Billy")  Davis  and  Elisabeth  Davis.  Jonathan's 
son  William  was  the  father  of  Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph,  and 
the  grandfather  of  Rev.  William  L.  Burdick. 

Margaret  married  Clayton,  and  removed  to  Ohio. 

Nancy  married   Stephen  Davis. 

All  of  Samuel's  children,  except  as  stated  otherwise, 
made  their  homes  at  or  near  New  Salem  after  they  were 
married. 

JEPTHAH    FITZ   RANDOLPH. 

Jepthah  Fitz  Randolph,  son  of  Jonathan  and  Mary 
(Davis)  Fitz  Randolph,  and  grandson  of  Samuel  and  Mar- 
garet Fitz  Randolph,  was  born  at  New  Salem,  November 
i8,   1814. 

He  became  a  member  of  the  New  Salem  Church  at  the 
time  of  the  Quarterly  Meeting  in  February,  1830.  On  Feb- 
ruary 7,  1836,  he  was  married  to  Deborah  Sutton,  daughter 
of  John  and  Rachel  (Davis)  Sutton,  and  grand-daughter  of 
Cornelius  and  Elisabeth  (?)    [Applegate  (?)]   Sutton. 

From  May  15,  1836,  to  May  19,  1843,  ^^  served  the  New 
Salem  Church  as  its  clerk.  During  this  period  he  devoted 
much  time  and  labour  to  completing  the  records  of  the  church 
from  the  time  it  had  come  to  New  Salem,  down  to  the  time 
he  became  clerk. 

In  the  spring  of  1845,  he  removed  with  his  family  to 
Milton,  Wisconsin,  travelling  overland  in  a  wagon,  a  distance 
of  six  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  Here  he  arranged  to  establish 
his  home,  and  to  that  end  he  purchased  a  farm  of  James  M. 
Burgess  and  wife  for  a  cash  consideration  of  three  hundred 
dollars  ($300.00).  The  deed  is  dated  July  24,  1845,  and  calls 
for  the  east  half  of  the  north-east  quarter  of  section  17,  in 
township  4,  north  of  range  14,  east,  in  Rock  County. 

In  the  following  fall,  however,  he  returned  to  Virginia, 
and  took  up  his  residence  at  New  Milton  (a  post  office  estab- 
lished through  his  influence,  and  named  by  him  for  Milton, 
Wisconsin,  from  which  he  had  so  recently  come),  on  the  Meat 


' — £        < 


2    5 


—      u 

M      C 


APPENDIX  419 

House  Fork  of  Middle  Island  Creek.  Here  he  lived  until 
his  death,  July  19,  1879. 

Although  New  Salem  was  ten  miles  away,  he  retained 
his  membership  in  the  New  Salem  Church. 

On  November  17,  1855,  he  was  appointed  a  deacon,  and 
after  twelve  years  service,  he  was  formally  ordained  to  that 
office  along  with  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  and  Judson  F.  Randolph, 
by  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Davis,  assisted  by  Rev.  Jacob  Davis. 

He  served  the  church  at  different  times  as  its  moderator, 
and  for  many  years  immediately  preceding  his  death,  he  was 
its  treasurer.  He  represented  the  church,  officially,  at  New 
Milton,  where  several  families  lived  who  were  members  of 
the  New  Salem  Church ;  and  for  many  of  the  last  years  of  his 
life,  he  conducted  religious  services  there,  once  a  month,  unless 
provision  was  made  otherwise  by  the  church. 

He  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in  the  establishment  of 
the  West  Union  Academy,  and  when  its  doom  was  sealed,  to 
his  hands  was  committed  the  disagreeable,  but  responsible, 
task  of  closing  up  its  business  affairs. 

Besides  various  other  positions  of  public  trust  which  he 
held,  he  represented  his  county  (Doddridge)  in  the  Second 
Constitutional  Convention  of  the  state  of  West  Virginia, 
which  convened  in  Charleston  in  1872, — the  only  constitu- 
tional convention  held  in  that  state  since  the  Civil  War.  Here 
he  was  excused  from  duty  on  the  Seventh  Day  of  the  week, 
because  of  his  religious  belief  and  practise.  Of  this  conven- 
tion, a  trustworthy  historian  asserts  that  it  was  "the  most  not- 
able body  of  men,  in  point  of  legal  ability,  that  ever  met  in  the 
state." 

FRANKLIN    FITZ    RANDOLPH. 

Franklin  Fitz  Randolph,  son  of  Jepthah  and  Deborah 
(Sutton)  Fitz  Randolph,  was  born  at  New  Salem,  November 
9,  1836,  On  May  18,  1850,  he  became  a  member  of  the  New 
Salem   Church. 

He  received  his  education  in  the  neighbourhood  sub- 
scription schools  in  vogue  at  that  time,  at  West  Union  Acad- 
emy, and  at  Alfred  University.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to 
teach  in  the  public  schools  of  Doddridge  County,  when  the 
free  school  system  was  established  after  the  formation  of  the 
state  of  West  Virginia. 


420       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

He  was  clerk  of  the  New  Salem  Church,  and  the  keeper 
of  its  records,  for  a  period  of  twenty-eight  years  continuously, 
the  original  appointment  being  made  May  i8,  1855,  and  his 
term  of  service  closing  November  16,  1883,  because  of  having 
changed  his  membership  to  the  Greenbrier  Church  on  the  22d 
of  September  preceding.  For  two  of  the  four  years  that  he 
was  a  member  of  the  Greenbrier  Church,  he  was  its  moder- 
ator. 

In  March,  1887,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Middle 
Island  Church,  and  since  December,  1889,  he  has  been  thi 
moderator  of  that  church. 

For  the  last  two  years  of  its  existence,  he  was  secretary 
of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  West  Union  Academy,  and 
to  his  care  were  committed  the  records  of  the  board,  for  safe 
keeping,  when  the  corporation  was  dissolved  and  passed  out 
of   existence. 

He  was  one  of  the  first  two  recording  secretaries  of  the 
South-Eastern  Association,  and  for  many  years  served  the 
association   in  that  capacity. 

He  has  frequently  been  solicited  by  the  church  to  permit 
it  to  make  him  a  deacon,  but  he  has  uniformly  declined  that 
honour.  His  great  service  to  the  church  has  been  as  a  keeper 
of  records. 

He  was  twice  married.  His  first  wife  was  Mary  Cath- 
arine Rickard,  to  whom  he  was  married  November  9,  1858, 
and  who  died  July  25,  1859.  On  January  10,  1861,  he  was 
married  to  Mary  Elisabeth  Fox,  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Elisabeth  (Burgess)  Fox,  who  was  born  in  Greenbrier 
County,  Virginia,  April  26,  1842. 

Ever  since  he  was  first  married,  he  has  made  his  home  at 
New  Milton,  West  Virginia,  his  present  home. 

REV.    AZOR   ESTEE.^ 

Rev.  Azor  Estee  was  born  in  Shushan,  Washington 
County,  New  York,  June  30,  1803. 

His  early  life  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm,  and  when 
he  became  a  young  man,  he  worked  on  the  farm  in  summer, 
and  in  winter  taught  district  school. 

At  twelve  years  of  age,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Bap- 


I.     The   author   is   indebted   to   Mrs.    Susan   M.   Estee,   of   Alfred,    New   York, 
for  aid  in  the  preparation  of  this  sketch. 


!Ty^aA1yk£uvL   d'^   ULoOru^, 


APPENDIX 


421 


tist  church.  After  reaching  manhood,  he  began  to  prepare  for 
the  ministry,  by  entering  school  at  Bennington,  Vermont. 
Here  his  rehgious  views  underwent  a  change,  and  he  became 
a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  afterward  becoming  a  member  of  the 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at  Petersburgh,  New  York. 
Upon  the  completion  of  his  studies,  he  accepted  a  call  to  the 
pastorate  of  the  Petersburgh  Church.  Here  he  made  his 
home  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years. 

At  one  time  during  this  period,  however,  he  was  pastor 
of  the  church  at  Shiloh,  New  Jersey.  He  was  also  frequently 
employed  by  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  In 
December,  1849,  the  Missionary  Society  sent  him  to  visit  the 
churches  in  western  Virginia  and  Ohio.  He  remained  with 
the  Virginia  churches  during  that  winter  and  the  following 
spring.  In  the  summer  of  1850,  he  made  a  visit  to  the  Ohio 
churches,  and  then  returned  to  \'irginia.  Here  he  took  up  the 
question  of  education,  a  subject  which  was  being  agitated 
througliout  the  Virginia  churches  at  that  time.  This  move- 
ment culminated  in  the  establishment  of  the  West  Union 
Academy,  at  West  Union.  Rev.  Azor  Estee  took  no  small 
part  in  this  work.  He  was  instrumental  in  procuring  Stephen 
T.  W.  Potter  as  principal  of  the  academy,  and  when  the  latter 
returned  to  his  home  at  Scott,  New  York,  the  former  suc- 
ceeded him  as  principal,  and  conducted  the  school  success- 
fully, until  the  spring  of  1852,  when  private  business  called 
him  back  to  his  home  at  Petersburgh. 

The  last  five  years  of  his  life  were  spent  in  Quincy, 
Franklin  County,  near  Snow  Hill,  Pennsylvania,  as  a  home 
missionary  among  the  German  Seventh  Day  Baptists. 

He  was  the  son  of  Stephen  and  Abigail  (Thompson)  Estee. 
In  1828,  he  was  married  to  Betsey  Brown,  the  daughter  of 
Elias  and  Betsey  Estee  Brown.  She  died  in  1845,  leaving  two 
sons,  Henry  Estee,  of  Milton,  Wisconsin,  and  Charles  B. 
Estee,  of  Gibson  City,  Illinois. 

He  was  married  a  second  time,  in  March,  1847,  to  Susan 
Maxson,  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Susan  Armsbury  Maxson, 
of  Petersburgh,  New  York.  To  them  were  born  two  sons, 
James  Ayars  Estee,  now  superintendent  of  public  schools,  of 
Gloversville,  New  York,  and  Daniel  Maxson  Estee,  of  BuflFalo, 
New  York. 


422       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Rev.  Azor  Estee  died  September  7,  1864,  His  second 
wife  is  still  living  at  Alfred,  New  York. 

STEPHEN    THOMAS   WEST   POTTER.^ 

Stephen  Thomas  West  Potter,  son  of  Ezekiel  G.  and 
Abigail  (West)  Potter,  was  born  in  the  town  of  Scott,  New 
York,  October  i,  1828.  He  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools  near  his  home,  and  at  DeRuyter  Institute,  at  DeRuy- 
ter.  New  York,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1849. 

On  January  i,  1850,  he  was  married  to  Cynthia  Barber, 
daughter  of  John  Barber,  of  Scott.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
same  year,  he  became  principal  of  the  West  Union  Academy, 
at  West  Union,  Virginia. 

The  following  summer,  he  relinquished  his  duties  at  the 
academy,  and  returned  to  his  former  home  at  Scott,  where 
he  embarked  in  the  mercantile  business.  He  subsequently 
studied  medicine,  and  was  graduated  from  the  Homoeopathic 
]Medical  College  at  Cleveland.  Ohio.  He  then  practised  med- 
icine, successively,  first  at  Terra  Haute,  Indiana ;  afterward  in 
New  York,  at  Spafford,  Onondago  County ;  Moravia,  Cayuga 
County ;  and  Friendship,  Allegany  County.  In  the  meantime, 
he  had  invented  several  agricultural  implements,  and  thus 
added   materially  to   his   prosperity. 

He  next  removed  to  Brookfield,  in  northern  Missouri. 
After  ten  years  residence  here,  he  removed  to  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  several  years. 

Finally,  after  spending  some  time  in  travel,  he  removed 
to  Los  Angeles,  California.  Here  he  continued  the  practise 
of  his  profession  as  long  as  his  declining  years  would  permit. 
He  died  at  Los  Angeles.  April  28,  1904.  In  early  life  he 
became  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  at 
Scott,  New  York,  and  maintained  that  relation  with  the  church 
until  his  death. 

DANIEL    MAXSON    BURDICK, 

Daniel  Maxson  Burdick,  the  son  of  Daniel  O.  and 
Betsey  Burdick,  was  born  at  Lincklaen,  Chenango  County, 
New  York,  August  15,  1813.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
district  schools  near  his  home,  and  at  Alfred  Academy  (now 
Alfred  University),  at  Alfred.  New  York. 


I.    Acknowledgment   is  due  Dr.   Lehman   H.  Potter,  of  Homer,  New  York,  for 
assistance  in  the  preparation  of  this  sketch. 


RE\'.     D.WIl)     W.     LEATH. 


APPENDIX 


423 


In  the  early  history  of  Richburg  Academy,  at  Richburg, 
New  York,  he  was  an  instructor  there.  In  the  summer  of 
1853,  he  went  to  West  Union,  Virginia,  to  assume  charge  of 
the  West  Union  Academy.  Illness  in  his  family  soon  called 
him  back  to  Little  Genesee,  New  York,  and  he  did  not  return 
to  Virginia.  He  began  teaching  at  the  age  of  twenty  years, 
and  continued  until  he  was  seventy-two.  He  was  engaged  for 
the  most  part,  in  district  schools. 

He  lived  for  the  greater  part  of  his  life  at  Little  Genesee, 
New  York,  where  he  was  married,  in  1837,  to  Sally  A.,  daugh- 
ter of  Zaccheus  R.  and  Temperance  Coon  Maxson,  of  Little 
Genesee. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  of 
Little  Genesee. 

He  died  May  5,  1898,  at  Little  Genesee,  New  York. 

MOSES    HOFFMAN    DAVIS. 

Moses  Hoffman  Davis,  son  of  Jesse  Maxson  Davis, 
who  was  the  son  of  Jacob  Davis,  was  born  February  27, 
1833.  He  was  married,  April  14,  1857,  to  Julia  A.  Davis, 
daughter  of  Lodowick  H.  Davis,  and  lived  on  Flint  Run,  in 
Doddridge  County,  West  Virginia,  until  the  death  of  his  wife, 
November  12,  1861,  after  which  he  returned  to  the  home  of 
his  father  on  Lost  Creek,  in  the  adjoining  county  of  Har- 
rison. 

On  November  3,  1863,  he  was  married  to  Emily  V. 
Swisher.     He  died  July  16,  1891. 

Soon  after  the  organisation  of  the  state  of  West  Virginia, 
he  served  on  the  county  board  of  supervisors.  For  several 
years  afterward,  he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace ;  and  in  1880, 
he  was  elected  to  represent  his  county  in  the  lower  house  of 
the  state  legislature. 

He  was  one  of  the  leading  spirits  in  the  Lost  Creek  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptist  Church,  of  which  he  was  a  deacon  for  some 
twenty  years.  He  was  likewise  one  of  the  clerks  of  the  South- 
Eastern  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Association  at  the  time  of  its 
organisation,  and  for  several  years  afterward. 

REV.  DAVID  W.  LEATH. 

Rev.  David  W.  Leath  was  born  in  Fishomingo  County, 
Mississippi,  July  17,  1848.  When  he  was  eight  years  of  age'„ 
his   father  removed  with  his   familv  to  Tennessee.     He  was 


424       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

educated  at  a  small  college  at  Milan,  Tennessee,  where  he 
joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South,  in  1870.  In 
less  than  a  year,  he  entered  upon  active  preparation  for 
the  ministry,  which  he  had  decided  to  enter.  In  due  course 
of  time  this  preparation  was  completed,  and  he  was  assigned 
to  a  circuit. 

In  1875,  l^is  views  changed  upon  the  subject  of  baptism, 
and  he  became  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  He  subse- 
quently became  pastor  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Texas,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  missionary  work  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
In  1893,  his  religious  views  underwent  another  change,  and 
he  became  a  Seventh  Day  Baptist,  and  two  years  afterward, 
he  joined  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church,  of  Chicago, 
Illinois. 

He  then  engaged  in  evangelistic  work  for  a  time ;  and 
in  1899,  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  Middle  Island,  Green- 
brier, and  Black  Lick  churches,  in  West  Virginia,  jointly. 
Here  he  remained  for  a  period  of  two  years,  when  he  accepted 
a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Salemville  (Pennsylvania) 
Church. 

CLYDE    FITZ    RANDOLPH. 

Clyde  Fitz  Randolph,  son  of  Preston  and  Harriet 
(Meredith)  Fitz  Randolph,  was  born  in  February,  1875,  and 
died  at  Morgantown,  West  \'irginia,  May  16,  1904. 

He  was  prepared  for  college  in  the  preparatory  depart- 
ment of  Salem  College,  and  in  evening  school  in  Plainfield, 
New  Jersey,  where  he  was  employed  during  the  day,  in  the 
works  of  the  Potter  Printing  Press  Company. 

In  June,  1899,  he  was  graduated  from  the  West  Virginia 
University,  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts.  He  had 
specialised  in  mechanical  engineering,  and  after  a  year's 
graduate  study  at  Cornell  University,  he  was  graduated  from 
that  institution  as  a  Mechanical  Engineer. 

Soon  after  his  graduation,  he  was  offered  a  position  as 
an  instructor  in  the  department  of  engineering  at  Cornell ; 
but  he  declined,  having  previously  accepted  an  appointment  as 
associate  professor  of  mechanical  engineering  at  the  West 
Virginia  University. 

For  a  short  time  after  his  graduation,  however,  for  the 
sake   of  acquiring  experience   in    designing    machinery,    he 


CLYDE    FITZ    RANDOLPH. 


APPENDIX 


425 


entered  the  employment  of  the  Blaisdell  Machinery  Company, 
of  Bradford,  Pennsylvania.  Here  he  achieved  distinction  by 
working-  out  some  hitherto  unsolved  problems  in  designs  of 
gas  engines  and  air  compressors. 

After  about  a  year  and  a  half  of  this  kind  of  work,  he 
entered  upon  the  active  duties  of  his  position  at  the  West 
Virginia  University,  where  he  remained  until  his  untimely 
death.  His  work  there  was  of  a  high  rank  for  a  young  man, 
and  promised  him  honour  and  distinction  among  his  fellows, 
in  the  world  of  mechanical  engineering,  had  he  lived. 


426       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


CLARKE'S  ACCOUNT  OF  THE  VIRGINIA 
CHURCHES. 

Clarke's  History  of  the  Sabbatarians,  pp.  57-58,  has  the 
following : — 

"VIRGINIA    CHURCHES. 

"At  the  Sabbatarian  General  Conference,  held  at  Hopkinton,  R. 
I.,  Sept.  1808,  there  were  letters,  sent  by  Elder  John  Davis,  from  two 
churches  in  that  quarter;  one  from  Lost  Creek,  Virginia,  then  com- 
posed of  23  members,  and  the  other  in  Salem,  Virginia,  composed  of 
38  members,  and  said  Davis  had  the  oversight  of  both  of  said  churches. 
Their  deacon  was  Abel  Bond,  and  their  clerk  was  Moses  Huffman. 

The  distance  of  those  churches  is  so  great  (although  they  were 
admitted  in  the  Sabbatarian  Conference)  that  I  have  no  correct  infor- 
mation from  them  since.  And  although  I  saw  Elder  John  Davis,  and 
heard  him  preach  (who  is  esteemed  by  many  as  an  able,  entertaining 
preacher)  yet  as  I  had  then  no  knowledge  of  my  writing  this  history, 
I  took  no  memorandum  of  the  date  of  their  organisation,  or  from 
what  people  they  originated.  I  rather  conclude  they  formerly  went 
from  the  state  of  New  Jersey.  There  was  a  letter  from  them  at  our 
last  conference,  in  Oct.,  1810.  But  as  I  took  no  minutes  from  it  then, 
and  the  Conference  Minutes  have  not  got  to  me  yet,  I  must  omit 
giving  further  account  of  them. 

"There  is  a  number  of  societies  or  sections  of  churches,  of  this 
order,  in  several  other  places,  as  a  church  on  the  West  Fork  of  the 
Monongahela  River,  in  the  state  of  Virginia,  who  also  sent  a  letter 
to  be  admitted  into  the  Sabbatarian  General  Conference.  But  as  they 
admitted  communion  with  first-day  members,  they  were  not  admitted 
into  Conference. 

"I  learn  there  is  a  society  of  this  sect,  at  Red  Stone,  in  Virginia. 
And  I  have  heard  something  of  one  or  two  other  societies  of  this 
order  in  our  South-Western  Territories,  but  am  not  able  to  give 
correct  information  about  them." 

On  p.  27  he  says : — 

"I  have  seen,  and  heard  preach  several  times,  Elder  Jacob  Davis, — 
I  expect  of  this  church,  since  the  late  American  War;  and  I  under- 
stand, that  church  since  I  saw  Elder  Jacob  Davis,  generally  removed 
into  the  remote  parts  of  the  state  of  Virginia,  where  Eld.  Davis  died. 
But  what  has  become  of  that  church,  I  am  not  able  to  ascertain  with 
precision ;  as  I  have  no  correct  account  of  them,  I  shall  not  give  them 
a  place  distinctly  in  this  narrative." 


APPENDIX  427 


MINISTERS  DESCENDED  FROM  WILLIAM 

DAVIS. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  Seventh  Day  Baptist  clergy- 
men descended  from  William  Davis,  the  founder  of  the 
Shrewsbury  Church/ 

Deceased. 

1.  William  Davis,  (founder  of  the  line), 

2.  John  Davis,   (son  of  William), 

3.  Jacob  Davis,  (grandson  of  William,  and  first  pastor  at  Nevir 
Salem). 

4.  John  Davis, 

5.  Lewis  A.   Davis, 

6.  Peter  Davis, 

7.  Simeon  Babcock, 

8.  James  Ball  Davis, 

9.  Jacob  Davis,  2d, 

10.  Maxson  Babcock, 

11.  Uri  Morton  Babcock, 

12.  John  Livingston  Huffman. 

Living. 

13.  Samuel  Davis  Davis, 

14.  Darius  King  Davis, 

15.  Lewis  Alexander  Platts,  D.  D., 

16.  Lewis  Fitz  Randolph, 

17.  Simeon  H.  Babcock, 

18.  John  T.  Davis, 

19.  Gideon  Henry  Fitz  Randolph, 

20.  Darwin  C.  Lippincott, 

21.  BooTHE  Colwell  Davis,  D.  D. 

22.  Theodore  J.  Van  Horn, 

23.  William  L.  Burdick, 

24.  Riley  G.  Davis, 

25.  James  H.  Hurley, 

26.  Samuel  Hoffman  Davis, 

27.  Charles  S.  Sayre, 

28.  Eli   Forsythe  Loofboro, 

29.  Herbert  C.  Van  Horn. 

30.  Edgar  D.  Van  Horn, 

31.  Ahva  John  Clarence  Bond. 


I.     This   list   was   prepared   by    Rev.    Boothe    Colwell    Davis,    D.    D.,    of   Alfred 

University. 


428       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


MARRIAGES. 

MARRIAGE   LICENCES. 

By  ax  act  of  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  approved  by  the 
governor,  ]March  2y,  1719,  all  who  so  desired  could  procure 
a  licence  to  marry  from  the  governor  of  the  state,  which  per- 
mitted a  marriage  without  the  usual  formality  of  publishing 
the  banns  three  times  from  the  pulpit.  As  the  licence  method 
was  by  far  the  more  private,  that  mode  of  procedure  became 
quite  prevalent ;  so  much  so,  in  fact,  that  it  was  greatly  abused, 
and  the  licence  law  was  finally  repealed  the  4th  of  March, 
1795.  The  licence  was  not  returnable  to  any  public  office, 
and  was  usually  destro3'ed  after  the  ceremony  was  performed. 
But  the  bridegroom  vvas  required  by  law,  on  making  appli- 
cation for  licence  to  wed,  and  before  a  licence  could  issue, 
to  file  a  bond  in  the  penal  sum  of  five  hundred  pounds,  colonial 
money,   with  two  approved  sureties. 

These  bonds  were  kept  on  file  in  the  office  of  the  secre- 
tary of  state.  About  1880,  Henry  C.  Kelsey,  at  that  time  sec- 
retary of  state,  caused  these  bonds  to  be  bound  in  thirty-two 
thick  folio  volumes.  He  also  had  two  indexes  of  these  vol- 
umes made,  one  of  the  men,  and  another  of  the  women.  These 
indexes,  together  with  certain  historical  matter  relating  to 
marriage  customs  and  laws  in  New  Jersey,  as  well  as  certain 
other  marriage  records,  have  been  published  under  the 
editorial  supervision  of  William  Nelson,  Esq.,  in  the  Archives 
of  the  State  of  New  Jersey.  Documents  relating  to  Colonial 
History  of  the  State  of  Ncn'  Jersey.  Volume  XXI J.  Mar- 
riage Records,  i66yi8oo.     Paterson,  N.  J.,  1900. 

The  following  records  of  marriage  licences  are  from  this 
volume : — 

(Any  irregular  spelling  in  the  following  lists  may  be  accounted 
for  by  the  fact  that  the  exact  spelling  of  the  New  Jersey  Archives 
has  been  carefully  followed.) 

Names.  Date. 

Allgor,!      \Villi.\m,      Monmouth,      and      Elisabeth 

Havens,  Monmouth  1763,  Jan.  7. 

Amock,    Apham,    Monmouth,     and     Joseph     Davis, 

Monmouth  I7S4.  Sept.       14. 

I.    Auger,  probably. 


APPENDIX 


429 


Ashley,   John,   Monmouth,   and    Prudence   Maxen, 

Middletown  1765,  July  i. 

Avars,  Darkis,  Cumberland,  and  David  Randolph, 

Cumberland  1775,  Nov.         8. 

Babcock,   Simeon,   Monmouth,   and  Jane   Greggory, 

Monmouth  i757>  Aug.       20. 

Bartlett,  Joseph,  Monmouth,  and  Hannah  Gifford  1766,  April  5. 
Brand,    Rebecca,    Monmouth,     and    James     Davis, 

Monmouth  1765,  July  i. 

Brand,  William,  Monmouth,  and  Deborah  Law- 
rence, Monmouth  1767,  Feb.  20. 
Brown,  Elisabeth,  Monmouth,  and  Nathan  Max- 
son,  Monmouth  1764,  April  27. 
BuRDGE,   David,   Monmouth,    and    Elisabeth    Davis, 

Monmouth  1753,  Aug.       22. 

Campbell,   Anne,    Woodbridge,    and   Jacob    Sutton, 

Piscataway  1756,  Sept.       27. 

Coven HOVEN,    Peter,   Monmouth,    and   Anne    Davis, 

Monmouth  1749,  Feb.  5. 

Curtis,      John,      Monmouth,      and      Mary      Davis, 

Monmouth  1746,  March    31. 

Darkin,    Jale,    Salem,    and    David    Fitz    Randolph, 

Salem  1740,  May        25. 

Davis,    Amy,    Monmouth,     and     Elisha     Johnston, 

Monmouth  1755,  Oct.         28. 

Davis,     Anna,     Monmouth,     and     John     Havens, 

Monmouth  1745,  Jan.         21. 

Davis,   Anne,   Monmouth,   and    Peter    Covenhoven, 

Monmouth  1749,  Feb.  5. 

Davis,   Benjamin,  Monmouth,  and  Mary  Woolley, 

Monmouth  1749,  Dec.         11. 

Davis,  Elisabeth,  Monmouth,   and  David   Burdge, 

Monmouth  I753.  Aug.       22. 

Davis,  Elisabeth,  Monmouth,  and  Ephraim  Max- 
son,  Monmouth  1764,  April  27. 
Davis,    Enoch,    Monmouth,     and    Anna     Swindon, 

Monmouth  1762,  Oct.        20. 

Davis,   James,    Monmouth,     and     Rebecca     Brand, 

Monmouth  1765,  July  i. 

Davis,   Joseph,   Monmouth,     and    Upham    Amock, 

Monmouth  1754,  Sept.       14. 

Davis,      Mary,      Monmouth,      and      John      Curtis, 

Monmouth  1746,  March    31. 

Davis,    Nathan,    Monmouth,    and    Anney    Gifford, 

Monmouth  1761,  Jan.         20. 

Davis,  Thomas,    Piscataway,    and    Anne    Smalley, 

Piscataway  1750,  Aug.       24. 


430       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

DuNN^    Elisabeth,    Piscataway,    and    Thomas    Fitz 

Randolph,  Piscataway  I75S,  May        26. 

Fitz   Randolph,    (see  also   Randolph). 
Fitz    Randolph,    David,    Salem,    and   Jale    Darkin, 

Salem  1740,  May        25. 

Fitz  Randolph,  Ephraim,  Piscataway,  and  Rachel 

Stelle,  Piscataway  1752,  July        11. 

Fitz    Randolph,   Thomas,    Piscataway,    and   Elisa- 
beth Dunn,   Piscataway  I7S5,  May        26. 
Frazee,  Stephen,  Monmouth,  and  Hannah  Gifford, 

Monmouth  1765,  May        16. 

Gifford,   Anney,   Monmouth,    and    Nathan    Davis, 

Monmouth  1761,  Jan.         20. 

Gifford,  Hannah,  Monmouth,  and  Stephen  Frazer, 

Monmouth  1765,  May        16. 

Gifford,  Hannah,  and  Joseph  Bartlett,  Monmouth     1766,  April        5. 
Gifford,   Margaret,   Monmouth,   and   John   Martin, 

Monmouth 
Gillman,  Lettitia,  Cumberland,  and  David   Platts, 

Cumberland 
Gregory,   Jane,    Monmouth,    and    Simeon    Babcock, 

Monmouth 
Havens,  Elisabeth,  Monmouth,   and   William  All- 

gor,i  Monmouth 
Havens,     John,     Monmouth,     and     Anna     Davis, 

Monmouth 
Hoffmire,     Mener,     Middletown,     and      Benjamin 

Thorpe,  Middletown 
Johnstown,   Elisha,   Monmouth,   and   Amy   Davis, 

Monmouth 
Langstaff,  Mary,   Piscataway,   and   Henry   Sutton, 

Piscataway 
Lawrance,     Deborah,     Monmouth,     and     William 

Brand,  Monmouth 
Martin,  John,   Monmouth,   and   Margaret   Gifford, 

Monmouth 
Maxen,   Prudence,   Middletown,   and   John   Ashley, 

Monmouth 
Maxson,     Ephraim,      Monmouth,     and      Elisabeth 

Davis,  Monmouth 
Maxson,  Joseph,  Monmouth,  and  Hannah  Osborne, 

Monmouth  1774,  Oct.         14. 

Maxson,      Nathan,     Monmouth,      and      Elisabeth 

Brown,  Monmouth  1764,  April      27. 

Osborne,   Hannah,   Monmouth,   and   Joseph   Max- 
son, Monmouth  1774,  Oct.         14. 


1760, 

Feb. 

5. 

1763, 

Jan. 

4- 

1757, 

Aug. 

20. 

1763, 

Jan. 

7- 

1745, 

Jan. 

21. 

1761, 

Sept. 

30. 

1755, 

Oct. 

28. 

1751, 

Oct. 

I. 

1767, 

Feb. 

21. 

1760, 

Feb. 

5. 

1765, 

July 

I. 

1764, 

April 

27. 

1.     Auger,  probably. 


431 

1763, 

Jan. 

4- 

1/75, 

Nov. 

8. 

1 750, 

Aug. 

24. 

1752, 

July 

II. 

1751, 

Oct. 

I. 

1756, 

Sept. 

27. 

1762, 

Oct. 

20. 

1761, 

Sept. 

30. 

1749, 

Dec. 

II, 

APPENDIX 

Platts,   David,    Cumberland,   and    Lettitia    Gillman, 

Cumberland 
Randolph   (see  also  Fitz  Randolph). 
Randolph,  David,  Cumberland,   and   Darkis   Ayars, 

Cumberland 
Smalley,    Ann,    Piscataway,    and     Thomas     Davis, 

Piscataway 
Stelle,    Rachel,    Piscataway,     and     Ephraim     Fitz 

Randolph,  Piscataway 
Sutton,   Henry,   Piscataway,   and    Mary   Langstaff, 

Piscataway 
Sutton,  Jacob,    Piscataway,    and    Anne     Campbell, 

Woodbridge 
Swindon,    Anna,    Monmouth,    and    Enoch    Davis, 

Monmouth 
Thorp,    Benjamin,   Middletown,    and    Mener   Hoff- 

mire,  Middletown 
Woolley,   Mary,   Monmouth,   and   Benjamin   Davis, 

Monmouth 

MARRIAGE    RECORDS:    NEW  JERSEY. 

Several  years  ago  there  were  found  in  western  Pennsyl- 
vania the  marriage  records  kept  by  Rev.  Jonathan  Dunham, 
while  he  was  pastor  of  the  Piscataway  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Church,  1745  to  1776,  in  Piscataway  Township  (now  New 
Market),  New  Jersey.  The  following  entries  are  copied  from 
that  record  as  published  in  the  Nexv  Jersey  Archives,  Vol. 
XXII,  from  which  the  foregoing  records  of  marriage  licences 
have  been  taken : — 

Bloomfield,  Kezia,  and  Abraham  Lufbery 

Dunn,  Elisabeth,  and  Thomas  Fitz  Randolph 

Fitz  Randolph,  Margaret,  and  Samuel  Fitz 
Randolph 

Fitz  Randolph,  Samuel,  and  Margaret  F.  Ran- 
dolph 

Fitz  Randolph,  Thomas,  and  Elisabeth  Dunn 

Lufbery,  Abraham,  and  Kezia  Bloomfield 

Osmun,  Catherine,  and  Peter   Sutton 

Runyon,  Elisabeth,  and  Jonas  Sutton 

Sutton,  Jonas,  and  Elisabeth  Runyon 

Sutton,  Peter,  and  Catherine  Osmun 

marriages:     western  Virginia. 
The  following  marriages  are  from  the  records  in  the  office 
of  the  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  of  Harrison  County,  at 
Clarksburg,  West  Virginia : — 


1759, 

Nov. 

28. 

1755, 

May 

27- 

1 761, 

March 

25. 

I76I, 

March 

25- 

1755, 

May 

27. 

1759, 

Nov. 

28. 

1762, 

Dec. 

21. 

1764, 

Sept. 

27. 

1764, 

Sept. 

27. 

1762, 

Dec. 

21. 

432       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

By  John  W.  Loofboro. 
Samuel  Harbert  to  Abigail  Loofboro^  January  3,  1784. 
John  Harbert  to  Sarah  Loofboro,  January  22,  1789. 
Thomas  Barkley  to  Mary  Loofboro,  November  17,  1795. 
Jacob  Beard  to  Catherine  Randolph,  August  2,  1796. 
Jonathan  Davis  to  Piety  Maxson,  November  17,  1796. 

By  Rev.  Isaac  Edzvards,  D.  D. 
John  Kelley,  to  Ann  Davis,  Sr.,  February  14,  1786. 
William  Davis  to  Abby  Denham,  April  15,  1788. 

By  Rev.  John  Patterson. 
Joseph   Davis  to  Experience  Maxson,  February  18,  1795. 
George  Maxson  to  Ann  Havens,  September  3,   1795. 
James  Davis  to  Elisabeth  Davis,  September  8,  1795. 

By  Rev.  John  Denham,  D.  D. 
James  Hill  to  Mary  Fitz  Randolph,  November  14,  1795. 

By  Benjamin  Webb,  "D.  N." 
William  Strother  to  Ruth  Randolph,  July  31,  1800. 
William  Randolph  to  Ann  Mackie,  December  29,  1803. 

By  Rev.  John  Davis. 
George  Maxson  to  Elisabeth  Reed,  September  5,  1801. 
Peter  Davis  to  Sarah  Davis,  November  6,  1802. 
James  Bell  to  Esther  Davis,  September  26,  1805. 
Cornelius  Sutton  to  Elisabeth  Maxson,  September  18,  1806. 
Samuel  Chaney  to  Ann  Davis,  November  12,  1807. 
David  Davis  to  Lydia  Jeffrey,  March  10,  1807. 
George  J.  Davis  to  Catharine  Davis,  November  10,  1807. 
Eli  Bond  to  Amelia  Bond,  April  9,  1816. 
Sylvester  Davis  to  Lois  Van  Horn,  January  8,  1822. 
Jeptha  Davis  to  Matilda  Loofboro,  August  4,  1822. 
William  F.  Randolph  to  Mary  Davis,  August  12,  1823. 
William  Babcock  to  Aseneth  Davis,  October  14,  1823. 
Phineas  F.  Randolph  to  Marvel  Maxson,  February  27,  1823. 
Joshua  Davis  to  Hannah  Bell,  February  — ,  1823. 
George  Williams  to  Margaret  F.  Randolph,  November  6,  1823. 
Ephraim  Bee  to  Catharine  Davis,  June  19,  1823. 
John  Kelley  to  Tacy  Davis,  June  23,  1825. 
Jonathan  Bonnell  to  Elisabeth  Maxson,  September  22,  1825. 
John  L.  F.  Randolph  to  Experience  Brown,  October  12,  1826. 
Calvin  Davis  to  Lydia  Maxson,  April  21,  1823. 
Ethelbert  Bond  to  Mary  Davis,  August  i,  1832. 
Levi  Sutton  to  Sarah  Brown,  April  8,  1833. 
Thomas  Ford  to  Hannah  Davis,  May  22,  1833. 
Davis  W.  Sutton  to  Lurana  Davis,  September  16,  1834. 
Evan  Hutson  to  Charlotte  Davis,  September  16,  1834. 
Winter  Hutson  to  Sarah  Davis,  October  13,  1834. 
(27) 


APPENDIX  433 

By  Rev.  Joseph  Cheuvront. 
Jesse  Davis  to  Hannah  Davis,  May  ii,  1806. 
John  Sutton  to  Rachel  Davis,  December  2,   1807. 
Phineas  Davis  to  Rulana  F.  Randolph,  May  16,  1816. 

By  Rev.  Thomas  Maxson. 
William  VanHorn  to  Jane  Maxson,  August  13,  1812. 
William   Davis  to  Catharine  Ash,  January  18,   1813. 
Asa  Davis  to  Content  Davis,  July  15,  1813. 

By  Zebiilon  Maxson. 
William  Davis  to  Rachel  Hughes,  November  20,  1813. 
Sehaba  Davis  to  Sarah  Davis,  June  14,  1815. 
James  Hill  to  Deborah  Davis,  March  19,  1816. 
Nathan  Davis  to  Keziah  Davis,  May  8,  1816. 
Joseph  Jeffrey  to  Tacy  Davis,  April  24,  18 17. 
Asa  Bee  to  Hannah   Maxson,  September  24,   1818. 

John  Davis  to  Permelia  Maxson,  — 

Martin  Hughes  to  Ann  Davis,  June  2;^,  1819. 

By  Joseph  Morris. 
Reuben  Bond  to  Sarah  Bell,  August  17,  1814. 

By  R.  Smith. 
Jonathan  Bee  to  Patty  Howard,  September  5,  1817. 

By  Rev.  Tho.  M.  Hudson. 
Jesse  F.  Randolph  to  Elisabeth  Gillis,  March  23,  1826. 

By  Rev.  Peter  Davis. 
Samuel  P.  F.  Randolph  to  Hannah  Davis,  October  27,  1827. 
Reuben  Sutton  to  Drusilla  Maxson,  February  27,  1828. 
Eliona  Davis  to  Sophiah  Davis,  August  14,  1828. 
Absolom  Davis  to  Polina  Davis,  October  9,  1828. 
Hugh  Tate  to  Elisabeth  F.  Randolph,  August  2,  1831. 
Josiah  Bee  to  Priscilla  Davis,  August  11,  183 1. 
Amos  Davis  to  Aseneth  Davis,  March  23,  1833. 
Jesse  Davis  to  Huldah  Davis,  May  2,  1833. 
Ziba  Davis  to  Josephine  Davis,  January  22,  1834. 
William  P.  Hall  to  Fatima  Davis,  February  10,  1834. 
Ehud  Davis  to  Catharine  Davis,  February  26,  1835. 
Jesse  M.  Lowther  to  Lucinda  Hall,  April  23,  1835. 
John  D.  Bee  to  Ingabe  Davis,  June  14,  1835. 
LoDOWicK  H.  Davis  to  Margaret  Davis,  July  2,  1835. 
Jepthah  F.  Randolph  to  Deborah  Sutton,  February  7,  1836. 
Sutton  Maxson  to  Vienna  Sutton,  October  6,  1836. 
Albert  Ford  to  Rhulana  Davis,  March  16,  1837. 
Alfred  N.  Davis  to  Rebecca  Davis,  November  9,  1838. 
Nathan  G.  Davis  to  Mary  Ann  M.  Davis,  March  8,  1838. 


434 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


By  Elias  Brown. 
Richard  C.  Bond  to  Eliza  Grant,  October  19,  1837. 

By  Rev.  Lewis  A.  Davis. 
Job  VanHorn  to  Prudence  Davis,  September  20,  1839. 

MARRIAGE    LICENCES    RECORDED    IN    MONONGALIA    COUNTY, 
VIRGINIA.^ 


Groom. 

John   Davis 

Luke  Davis 

John  Davis 
Robert  Davis 


Bride.         Officiating  Clergyman 

1795- 
Mary  Jones  James  Fleming. 

1797. 
Sarah  Brown         John  Willey. 

1799- 
Elisabeth   Cole      John  Willey. 
Mary  Koon  


1.  It  is  doubtful  if  any  of  these  Monongalia  County  licences  are  of  interest  to 
Seventh  Day  Baptists.  In  the  list  of  licences  granted  for  the  years  1799  and  1802, 
the  name  of  John  Patterson  appears  several  times  as  that  of  the  officiating 
clergyman.  Cf.  Transallegheny  Historical  Magazine.  Vol.  II.,  No.   i,  pp.  56  et  seq. 


APPENDIX 


435 


WILLS,  ETC. 

The  following  are  references  to  the  records  in  the  office 
of  the  secretary  of  state  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey: — 

Nathan  Maxson,  intestate,  Will  Book  No.  28  p.  293. 
Thomas  Babcock,  guardian  of 

Jacob    Covenhoven  Will  Book  No.  28,  p.  296. 

Zebulon   Maxson,  will,  Will  Book  No.  29,  p.  326. 

Thos.   Davis,  will   and  inventory,  Will  Book  No.  30,  p.    80. 

Joseph   Maxson,  will,  Will  Book,  No.  38,  p.  299. 

On  October  17,  1760,  letters  of  administration  were 
granted  Isaac  Rogers  on  the  estate  of  William  Davis,  late  of 
Monmouth  County. 

As  the  best  available  information  pertaining  to  the  man- 
ners and  condition  of  life  which  prevailed  among  the  members 
of  the  Shrewsbury  Church,  the  will,  with  the  annexed  inven- 
tory of  his  personal  property,  of  Zebulon  Maxson  is  here 
given.     It  runs  as  follows : 

"In  the  name  of  God,  amen.  Know  ye  that  I,  Zebulon  Maxson, 
of  the  Township  of  Shrewsbury,  County  of  Monmouth,  and  Eastern 
Division  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  Farmer,  being  in  good  health  of 
body,  and  of  perfect  mind  and  memory,  thanks  be  given  to  God  for 
it,  and  calling  into  mind  the  mortality  of  the  body  and  knowing  it  is 
appointed  for  all  men  once  to  die,  do  ordain  this  my  last  will  and 
testament. 

"Principally  and  first  of  all  I  give  and  recommend  my  soul  info 
the  hands  of  God  who  gave  it ;  and  as  for  my  body  I  recommend  [it] 
to  the  earth  to  be  buried  in  a  christian-like  and  decent  burial  at  the 
discretion  of  my  executors,  nothing  doubting  but  at  the  general  resur- 
rection I  shall  receive  the  same  again  by  the  mighty  power  of  God ; 
and  as  touching  such  worldly  estates  wherewith  it  hath  pleased  God 
to  bless  me  in  this  life,  I  give  and  dispose  of  the  same  in  manner  and 
form  following;  viz., 

"That  first  of  all  my  will  is  that  all  my  just  debts  and  funeral 
charges  be  paid  out  of  my  estate  by  my  executors. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  dear  and  loving  wife  the 
best  bed  and  furniture,  a  cow  and  my  Great  Bible,  Pot  chest,  and 
chest  of  drawers,  the  largest  basin  and  platter,  a  woolen  wheel  and 
linen  wheel,  together  with  a  privilege  of  the  house  during  the  time  she 
remains  my  widow. 

"Item.  My  will  is  that  these  my  three  children,  Zebulon,  Bethiah, 
and  Experience,  have  their  bringing  up  till  they  arrive  to  age,  out  of 


436       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

my  estate,  or  till  in  a  proper  capacity  to  maintain  themselves ;  and  the 
remainder  of  my  estate  to  be  divided  among  my  five  children,  Marvel, 
Elisabeth,  Bethiah,  and  Experience,  Zebulon. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  unto  my  beloved  son  all  my  lands 
when  he  comes  to  age,  with  a  proper  maintainance  of  his  aged  mother, 
to  him  and  his  heirs  forever. 

"Item.  I  give  and  bequeath  to  my  four  daughters  all  my  moveable 
estate :  Marvel  and  Elisabeth  to  have  one  feather  bed  apiece,  and 
the  other  two  daughters  when  they  come  to  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
and  as  much  more  of  the  moveable  estate  as  to  make  them  equal  with 
the  two  oldest,  and  the  remainder  divided  among  my  four  daughters 
when  my  youngest  daughter  comes  to  age. 

"Item.  I  also  do  appoint  and  ordain  my  loving  wife  executrix, 
?.nd  my  loving  brother  Ephraim  Maxson  to  be  executor  of  this  my  last 
will  and  testament,  ratifying,  pronouncing,  and  declaring  this  and  no 
other  to  be  my  last  will  and  testament. 

"In  witness  whereof  I  do  hereunto  put  my  hand  [and]  seal  this 
Fifteenth  Day  of  February  in  the  Year  of  Our  Lord  One  Thousand 
Seven  Hundred  and  Seventy-nine. 

"Signed,  sealed,  declared,  and  pronounced 

'This  to  be  my  last  will  and  testament. 

"Ephraim   Maxson  "Zebulon        [l.   s.] 

Maxson." 

"Thos.  Davis,  Jr." 

INVENTORY. 

"October  31,   1787. 

"A  true  inventory  of  the  goods  and  chattels,  rights  and 
credits  of  Zebulon  Maxson,  late  of  the  Township  of  Shrews- 
bury in  the  County  of  Monmouth  and  state  of  New  Jersey, 
deceased,  taken  and  apprised  this  day  at  the  request  of  Expe- 
rience Maxson,  executor. 

"Prised  by  Jacob  Davis  and  William  Davis: — 


£    s  d 


To    wearing    apparel    of    the    deceased    (money    of    the 

State  of  New  Jersey) 
Flax  in  sheaf 
Bilsted   [sic]  boards 
One  yoke  of  oxen  and  yoke 
One  yoke  of  yearling  steers 
One  yearling  heifer 
One  cow  bell 
Two  stacks  of  hay 
To  one  bottom  of  rye 


3 

0  0 

12  0 

IS 

18 

0  0 

2 

5  0 

I 

6  0 

6  0 

4 

0  0 

I 

0  0 

APPENDIX 


437 


To   two  beehives  • 

To  one  hay  tackling 

To  one  wagon 

To   one   wheelbarrow 

To  one  corn  plow 

To  one  iron  harrow 

To   two   fattening   hogs 

To  one   dutch   plow 

To  one  cider  barrel 

To  one  small  ox-chain 

To  one  big  clevis 

To  one  wood  sledge 

To  one  shaving-horse 

To  corn  in  the  crib 

To   oak   plank   for    felloe    stuff 

To   one   large   ox-chain 

To  one  spade 

To  one  pair  of  beetle  rings 

To  two  ax  eyes 

To  one  grubbing  hoe 

To  two  broad  hoes 

To   offal   corn 

To  one  post  ax 

To  one  cutting  knife 

To  carpenter's  tools 

To  shoe-make  tools  and  lasts 

To  one  cider  barrel  in  the  Cambor  [x/c-chamber(  ?)] 

To  offal  leather 

To  sundries  of  tubs  and  barrels 

To  old  iron 

To  one  bed  and  furniture 

To  one  loom,  warping  bars,  quill-wheel,  and  scarn  and 

spools,  about  20 
To  six  slay   [sleys] 
To  thirteen  pair  of  gears 
To  one  frying  pan 
To  one  copper  kettle 
To  one  iron  tea  kettle 
To  one  iron  pot 
To  one  tin  sieve 
To  two  pair  of  shears 
To  one  beaming  knife  and  bark-shave 
To  one  iron  trammel  and  two  hooks 
To  one  grid-iron 
To  eleven  turkeys 
To  pewter 
To  crockery  ware  on  the   dresser 


I  10  0 
10  0 

6  ID  0 
10  0 

8  0 

IS  o 

4    0  0 

1  5  o 
3  o 
46 

2  6 

5  o 

1  o 

2  12  6 

6  0 
76 

3  o 

2  o 

2  0 

3  o 
I  6 

126 

5  0 

I  6 

7  o 
5  0 
3  o 
5  o 
3  o 
I  o 

6  10  0 


I  10  0 

I    40 

17  0 

4  0 
10  0 

5  0 

6  o 
9 

1  o 
S  o 

10  0 

6 

15  0 

10  0 

2  o 


438       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

To  earthen   [ware]   and  trenchers  3  O 

To  four  jugs  and  two  bottles  2  O 

To  three  pair  of  pillow  cases  8  6 

To  three  sheets  and  table  cloth  8  o 

To  5  kegs  6  o 

To  foot  wheel  7  6 

To  one  old  chest  3  o 

To  three  scythes  and  two  tacklings  12  o 

To  one  bed  in  the  back  room  3  15  0 

To  one  trundle  bed  and  bedstead  2  10  0 

To  three  trays,  wooden  bowl,  and  leaden  dish  2  5 

To  one  large  cedar  tub  i  6 

To  one  small  ditto  I  o 

To  one  churn  5  o 

To  one  half-bushel   [measure]  I  o 

To  one   stone  pot  I  6 

To  one  large  table  I  6 

To  one  ditto  1  o 

To  two  meal  bags  3  o 

To  eight  chairs  4  6 

To  one  plat  [sic]   iron  2  O 

To  knives  and  forks  2  o 

To  one  Bible  6  o 

To  one  psalter  i  6 

To  one  Testament  I  o 

To  one  spelling  ditto  [sic^  I  O 

To  one  psalm  ditto  6 

To  one  water  pail  2  6 

To  one  basket   (large)  I  6 

To  three  ladles  I  6 

To  one  slate  2  o 

To  loft  hay  4  iS  0 

To  one  bed,  bedstead  and  furniture  700 

To  one  cow  3  I5  o 

To  one  foot  wheel  10  o 

To  one  wool  ditto  8  0 

To  one  pewter  platter  4  o 

To  one  iron  pot  10  0 

To  one  case  of  drawers  i  10  0 

To  old  chest  i  6 

To  one  Bible  10  o 

To  one  pewter  basin  2  6 

To  two  pair  of  temples  and  two  shuttles  S  o 

To  one  iron  kettle  6 
To  one  tray,  2  pails,  and  two  not  [j/r,-note  or  nut(?)] 

dishes  3  O 

To  one  not  [w,-note  or  nut(?)]  dish  3 


APPENDIX 


I.    About  three  hundred  dollars  (I300.00. ) 


439 


To  two  shuttles  2  o 

To  one  chopping  ax  60 

To  one  barrel  I  6 

To  one  book  debt  at  Thomas  Babcock's  i  16  o 

To  one  book  debt  against  William  Davis  216 

Due  from  John  Tilton  12  i 

To  one  half  of  a  loom  200 


[Total       105     I  6]i 


440       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 


TOMBSTONE  INSCRIPTIONS. 

The  following  tombstone  inscriptions  have  been  gath- 
ered from  the  various  graveyards  named  as  follows: — 

NEW  JERSEY. 

SHREWSBURY. 
Hannah,  daughr.  of  Nathan  &  Anna  Davis.     Died  March  ye  3d, 
1788,  aged  20  years. 

PISCATAWAY. 

Here  lyes  ye  body  of  Elisabeth,  wife  of  Thomas  Fitz  Randolph. 
Died  with  smallpox,  March  ye  i,   1732,  aged  63  years. 

Here  lyes  ye  body  of  Elisabeth  Fitz  Randolph,  died  March  ye  19, 
1732,  aged  43  yrs.     Daughr.  of  Thomas.     Died  with  ye  small-pox. 

Here  lyes  Thomas,  son  of  Thomas  &  Margaret  Fitz  Randolph. 
Died  March  21,  1732,  aged  17  j'ears. 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

WOODBRIDGETOWN.^ 

In  memory  of  the  Rev.  Enoch  David,  who  departed  this  life  Nov. 
28th,  1793.     Aged  78  years,  8  months,  and  22  days. 

Farewell,  Good  Man. 

A  faithful  herald,  thou,  of  Heavenly  grace. 

Thou  couldst  awake  conviction  on  the  soul 

Where  others  touched  not,  and  e'en  thoughts  control ; 

Full  on  the  mind  enforce  each  Gospel  truth ; 

Nor  didst  deceive  by  noise,  by  art,  by  sound 

The  vacant  minds  of  gaping  crowds  around. 

Tho'  science  marked  thee  not,  yet  thou  knew'st  well 

In  plainest  language  noblest  truth  to  tell, 

And  tho'  thy  page  was  not  with  learning  fraught 

Thy  warfare  so  ended  in  a  good  old  age 

Has  thou  concluded  well  thy  pilgrimage. 

Adieu,  good  man,  rewards  await  thee  now. 

Where  men  of  greater  fame 

Shall  to  thy  virtue  bow. 

Daniel  G.  W.  David  died  May  7,  1861,  in  the  94  yr.  of  his  age. 

Elisabeth,  wife  of  Daniel  G.  W.  David,  died  Aug.  20,  1833,  in 
the  61  year  of  her  age. 

Marie  E.  David  died  Aug.  22,  1854,  in  the  45  year  of  her  age. 


I.  For  copies  of  these  inscriptions,  the  author  of  this  book  is  indebted  to 
Charles  H.  Greene,  Esq.,  of  Alfred,  New  York,  who  visited  the  graveyard  at 
Woodbridgetown,    in   August,    1903. 


launali 


Vi\'\   i'X'\<  die  tl  \ 


THE   SOLE   REMAINING   GRAVESTONE   IN    THE 
GRAVEYARD    AT    SHREWSBURY. 


APPENDIX 


441 


Mary  Woodbridge  departed  this,  life,  November  the  26,  a.  d. 
181 1,  aged  97  years,  8  months  &  5  days. 

In  memory  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Woodbridge,  minister  of  the 
Gospel,  who  departed  this  life  July  the  7,  a.  d.  1814,  aged  8-[?]  years, 
10  months  &   18  days. 

In  memory  of  Anne  Woodbridge,  consort  of  the  late  Rev. 
Samuel  Woodbridge,  deceased.  She  departed  this  life  August  the 
18th,  1821,  aged  59  years  &  3  days. 

In  memory  of  Col.  John  Olliphant.  Born  Sep.  9th,  1759.  Died 
Feb.  28th,  1836,  aged  76  years,  5  months,  &  10  days. 

In  memory  of  Mrs.  Sarah  Oliphant,  wife  of  Col.  John  Oliphant. 
Born  Feb.  28,  1778;  died  Dec.  15,  1842,  aged  64  years,  9  months,  & 
15  days. 

In  memory  of  Samuel  Woodbridge  Olaphant,  who  departed  this 
life  December  the  28,  1820,  aged  25  years. 

In  memory  of  Kezia  Davis.  Was  the  wife  of  James  Davis,  & 
departed  this  life  June  20th,  1810,  age  48  years. 

In  memory  of  James  Davis,  who  died  Sept.  loth,  1850,  in  the  89th 
year  of  his  age. 

In  memory  of  Joshua  Davis,  who  departed  this  life  Feb.  the 
20th,  1816,  in  the  29th  year  of  his  age. 

In  memory  of  John  Sturgis,  who  departed  this  life  Feb.  nth, 
1822,  in  the  73rd  year  of  his  age. 

Here  lays  the  body  of  Leah  Sturges,  the  wife  of  John  Sturges, 
who  died  12  of  February,  1794,  aged  42  years,  3  months,  &  5  days. 

In  memory  of  Rhoda  Sturgis,  who  departed  this  life  February 
3d,  1816,  aged  17  years  &  11  months  &  25  days. 

Here  lays  the  body  of  Phillis  Sturges,  who  died  July  6th,  1806, 
aged  22  years,  4  months,  &  8  days. 

WEST  VIRGINIA. 

WHITE    DAY. 

Careful  inquiry  has  been  made  for  graves  at  White  Day, 
in  MonongaHa  County,  West  Virginia,  but  none  have  been 
found  of  interest  there.  The  old  graveyards  in  that  vicinity 
have  been  abandoned,  for  the  most  part,  and  very  few  grave- 
stones are  left  standing. 

SALEM. 
William  Davis  was  born  March  21,  1758;  died  January  6,  1845.1 
Elisabeth  Davis  was  born  July  11,  1762;  died  January  6,  1845. 
G.  J.  Davis,  died  Feb.  5,  1868,  aged  78  years. 

I.     "Greenbrier    Billy." 


442       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

Catharine,  wife  of  G.  J.  Davis,  died  Feb.  2,  1869,  in  her  80  yr. 

Salla  Davis  was  born  July  8,  1786,  died  January  10,  1842. 

In  memory  of  Joshua  G.  Davis,  born  March  12,  1764,  and 
departed  this  life  July  27,  1839,  aged  75  years  and  4  months. 

In  memory  of  Content  Davis,  born  July  25,  1756,  and  departed 
this  life  July  27,  1840,  aged  84  years. 

Stephen  C.  Davis,  born  Sept.  30,  1781 ;  died  Aug.  16,  1869,  aged 
87  ys.,  10  mos.,  16  ds. 

Nancy,  wife  of  Stephen  C.  Davis,  born  Feb.  19,  1781 ;  died  June 
'8,  1871,  aged  90  ys.,  3  mos.,  29  ds. 

David  D.  Davis,  born  Jan.  11,  1803;  died  May  12,  1885. 

Hie  jacit  the  body  of  Joel  D.wis,  he  [sic]  died  June  the  i,  1799, 
aged   19  years. 

William  F.  Davis,  died  Jan.  21,  1865,  aged  74  yrs.,  5  mos.,  6   ds.* 

Rachel,  wife  of  W.  F.  D.wis,  died  May  15,  1843,  in  her  46  year. 

James  B.  Davis,  born  Oct.  i,  1814,  died  July  2,  1902. 

Emily  V.  Davis,  born  Aug.  7,  1826,  died  Sept.   17    1904. 

In  memory  of  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph.  Born  October,  1738,  died 
February  25,   1825. 

In  memory  of  Margaret  Fitz  Randolph.  Born  November,  1739, 
died  February  29,  1832. 

Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  born  March  20th,  1778;  died  March  8th, 
1858. 

Mary  E.,  widow  of  Jonathan  F.  Randolph,  died  June  16,  1862, 
aged  80  y.,  2  m.,  10  d. 

Wm.  F.  Randolph,  died  Mar.  9,  1861,  aged  60  y.,  10  m.,  21  d. 

Mary,  wife  of  William  F.  Randolph,  born  Ja.  24th,  1804;  died 
June  2nd,  1854. 

Rachel  B.,  wife  of  Wm.  F.  Randolph,  died  Mar.  30,  1864,  aged 
66  yrs.,  6  mo.,  18  das. 

Pheneas  F.   Randolph,  born  Aug.   7,   1804;   died  Mar.  29,   1896. 

Marvel  F.  Randolph,  born  Nov.  13,  1800;  died  Oct.  27,  1891. 

Peter  Fitz  Randolph,  died  June  3,  1883,  in  his  81  year. 

Maria,  wife  of  P.  F.  Randolph,  died  Nov.  i,  1866,  in  her  57  year. 

In  memory  of  Davis  F.  Randolph.  Born  July  9,  1819,  died 
October  27,  1820. 

Mary  C,  wife  of  Franklin  F.  Randolph,  died  July  25,  1859,  aged 
27  ys.,  5  ms.,  3ds. 

Elisabeth,  wife  of  Wm.  Rickard,  born  Dec.  24,  1805;  died  Oct. 
15,  i860. 


1.     "Flint   Billy." 


o 

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Ui 

:z) 

',- 

-~-j 

*^.. 

i— 

*-^ 

V 

APPENDIX  443 

Ann,  wife  of  Martin  Hughes;  born  Sept.  25,  1800,  died  April  7, 
1885. 

Zebulon   Maxson   died  Nov.  20,   1821,  aged  40  yrs. 

Mary,  wife  of  Zebulon  Maxson,  died  Mar.  30,  1868,  aged  88  ys., 
7  ms. 

Gideon  Maxson,  born  Oct.  30,  1815,  died  Feb.  7,  1890. 

■R:  S:,i  born  July  25,  1792;  died  April  26,  1853.     M.  H.2 

GRAVEYARD  OVER   BRANDY   GAP  TUNNEL,   EAST   OF   SALEM. 

Content,  wife  of  Asa  Davis,  born  Jan.  21,  1797;  died  Jan.  10, 
1887. 

GRAVEYARD  AT   MIDDLE  ISLAND  CHURCH,   NEAR   NEW   MILTON. 

Amaziah  Bee,  born  May  15,  1805,  died  Jan.  16,  1894,  aged  88 
ys.,  8  Ms.,  &  I  D. 

Rhoda,  wife  of  A.  Bee,  born  Mar.  26,  1808;  died  Sep.  10,  1901, 
aged  93  Ys.,  5  Ms.,   14  Ds. 

Jacob  Bond,  born  Jan.  20,  1808;  died  May  9,  1902. 

Manerva  S.  Bond,  born  Jan.  6,  1815;  died  Nov.  12,  1884. 

Stephen  T.  Davis,  born  Sep.  3,  1817;  died  Sep.  18,  1895,  aged 
78  Yrs.  &  15  Ds. 

Elisabeth  Davis,  died  June  4,^  1897,  aged  77  Ys.,  8  Ms.,  11  Ds. 

Nathan  Kelley,  born   Sept.   10,   1816;   died  Sept.   12,   1894,  aged 

78  Yrs.,  2  Ds. 

Eleanor  D.  Kelley,  born  Nov.  16,  1812;  died  July  15,  1892,  aged 

79  Ys.,  2  Ms.,  29  Ds. 

Asa  Kelley,  born  May  26,  1826;  died  Dec.  29,  1901. 

Emily,  wife  of  Asa  Kelley,  born  May  26,  1827;  died  Dec.  5, 
1887. 

A.  B.   Parks.     July  31,   1807 — Feb.  20,   1892. 

Hannah   Parks.     Nov.    13,   1806 — Oct.  8,   1879. 

Jepthah  F.  Randolph,  died  July  19,  1879,  aged  64  Ys.,  8  Mo.,  i 
Day. 

Deborah,  wife  of  J.  F.  Randolph,  born  Oct.  14,  1813;  died  Feb. 
19,  1901,  aged  87  Ys.,  4  Ms.,  5  Ds. 

GREENBRIER. 
Rev.  Peter  Davis,  died  Mch  4,  1873,  aged  89  Ys.,  5  Ms.,  16  Ds. 
Sarah,  wife  of  Rev.  Peter  Davis,  died  Jan.  24,  1868,  aged  72  Ys., 
I  Mo.,  8  Ds. 


1.  Rachel   Sutton,  wife  of  John  Sutton. 

2.  The  letters  "M.  H."  are  for  "Martin  Hughes,"  the  stone  cutter  who  made 
the  tombstone. 

3.  Incorrect;   it  should  be  January  instead  of  June. 


444       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST  VIRGINIA 

Nathan  J.  Davis,  born  Nov.  24,  1797;  died  April  15,  1891,  aged 
93   ys.,  4   ms.,   21   ds. 

Keziah,  wife  of  N.  J.  Davis,  born  Sept.  15,  1796;  died  May  14, 
1862,  aged  65  Ys.,  8  Mo.,  29  Ds. 

In  loving  remembrance  of  Asenath,  wife  cf  Amos  Davis.  Born 
Sep.  26,  181 1 ;  died  Sep.  i,  1888,  aged  77  ys.,  25  Ds. 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  died  April  4,  1885";  aged  57  Ys.,  7  Ms.,  19  Ds. 
David  R.   Platts,  born  Mar.  29,  1805 ;  died  Feb.  26,  1878. 

OLD  FRAME  MEETING  HOUSE    GRAVEYARD,   AT  LOST   CREEK. 

William  Batten,  born  Sept.  7,  1807;  died  Oct.  13,  1881,  aged  74 
Ys.,  I  Mo.,  6  D. 

Elisabeth  Bond,  w-ife  of  Wm.  Batten,  died  Feb.  26,  1870,  aged 
S3  Yrs. 

Elisabeth  Batten,  wife  of  T[?]  Batten,  born  April  27th,  1781 ; 
died  June  loth,  1850. 

Able  Bond,  died  Jan.  23,   1852,  in  his  89  Yr. 

Elisabeth,  wife  of  Able  Bond,  died  Feb.  18,  1863,  in  her  89  Yr. 

Lewis  Bond,  born  Feb.  16,  1779;  died  Apr.  14,  1867. 

Lydia  Bond,  born  Oct.  29,  1788;  died  July  8,  1880. 

Eli  Bond,  son  of  S  &  E  Bond,  died  March  22,  1850,  aged  61  Yrs. 

Amelia,  wife  of  Eli  Bond,  born  Oct.  29,  1790;  died  July  27,  1880. 

Edy  Bond,  daughter  of  Eli  &  Amelia  Bond,  died  Sept.  25,  1845, 
aged  21  years. 

Eli  Bond,  Jr.,  born  July  6,  1827;  died  Sept.   i,   1901. 

Mary  E.,  wife  of  Eli  Bond,  Jr.,  born  Jan.  15,  1832,  died  Oct.  3, 
1899. 

Brumfield  Bond,  born  Dec.  15,  1809;  departed  this  life  Jan.  27, 
1890,  aged  80  Y's,  i  Mo.,  and  12  Ds. 

David  Clawson.  Born  New  Market,  N.  J.,  July  19,  1801.  A  7th 
day  Baptist  Minister;  ordained  Alfred,  N.  Y.,  Sept.,  1836;  pastor 
Marlboro,  N.  J.,  19  years ;  missionary  in  Va.  3  j'rs.  Died  March  6, 
i860. 

Jesse  M.  Davis,  born  Dec.  24,  1796;  died  Mar.   10,  1871. 

Abigail  H.,  wife  of  J.  M.  Davis,  born  Sept.  6,  1801 ;  died  Nov. 
12,  1863 

Joshua  S.  Davis,  died  March  21,  1869,  in  the  64  year  of  his  age. 

Hannah,  wife  of  Joshua  S.  Davis,  born  Dec.  26,  1802;  died 
Apr.    7,    1884. 

William  Kennedy,  born  Jan.  2,  1805;  died  Sept.   i,  1876. 

Belinda  H.,  wife  of  Wm.  Kennedy,  died  Sept.  25,  1872,  in  her 
48  Yr. 


APPENDIX  445 

Naomi  David,  born  Feb.  20,  1804,  was  married  to  John  Kildow, 
July  10,  1834;  died  Oct.  7,  1881. 

Ai  Van  Horn,  died  Feb.   11,   1854,  aged  64  Yrs. 

Hannah  Van  Horn,  died  Jan.  7,  1832,  aged  52  Yrs. 

Catharine,  wife  of  Job  Van  Horn,  born  Oct.  25,  1829;  died 
June  15,  1852. 

BROAD   RUN. 

Eld.  John  Davis,  Pastor  of  the  S.  D.  B.  Church  at  New 
Salem.     Born   May   i,    1754.     Died  June  22,   1842. 

WEST    eNION. 

Nathan  Davis,i  born  June  21,  1772;  died  May  23,  1866,  aged 
93  Yrs.,  II   Mo's.,  2  D's. 

Jane,  wife  of  Nathan  Davis,  died  April  27th,  1857,  aged  86  years, 
6  Mo's.,  &  20  d's. 

William  [J.]  Davis,  died  July  15,  1878,  aged  89  Ys.,  4  Ms.,  15 
Ds.2 

Experience,  wife  of  W.  J.  Davis,  died  Jan.  6,  1866,  in  her  76  Yr. 

Our  mother,  Esther  F.  Davis,  wife  of  J.  S.  Davis,-^  born  Oct. 
31,  1810;  died  Feb.  7,  1894. 

Joseph  Jeffrey,  born  June  8,  1794;  died  April  23,  1874. 

Tacy,  wife  of  Joseph  Jeffrey,  died  Feb.  9,  1872,  aged  70  Ys.,  7 
Ms.,  24  Ds. 

Cornelius  Sutton,  died  Sep.  31,  1850,  aged  99  yrs.,  11  mo's.,  i 
day. 

CHILDERS  GRAVEYARD,  NEAR  NEW  MILTON. 
George  Fox,  died  Aug.  4,  i860,  aged  54  ys.,  6  ms.  19  Ds. 
Elisabeth,  wife  of  George  Fox,  died  June  19,  1890,  aged  80  Ys., 
22  Ds. 

PINE    GROVE    GRAVEYARD,    NEAR    BEREA.* 

EzEKiEL  Bee,  died  Feb.  20,  1893,  aged  92  Yrs.  5  Ms.,  23  Ds. 

Mariah,  wife  of  Ezekiel  Bee,  died  Aug.  9,  1865,  aged  56  Ys.,  I 
Mo.,  8  Ds. 

Z.  Davis,  died  Feb.  4,  1887,  aged  70  Yrs.  8  mo.,  12  ds. 

Dorinda,  wife  of  Z.  Davis,  died  Nov.  7,  1885,  aged  71  Yrs.,  4 
Mo.,  23  ds. 


1.  Popularly   known   as    Captain   Nathan   Davis,    from    his   having  served   as   a 
captain  in  the  War  of   1812. 

2.  "Rock   Billy,"   or    "Rock    Run    Billy." 

3.  John   S.    Davis   was   buried  at   Peakeville,    Clarke   County,    Missouri. 

4.  The   author    of   this   book    is    indebted    to    Mr.    Erlow    Sutton,    of    Berea, 
West   Virginia,   for  copies  of  these   inscriptions. 


446       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Jesse  M.  Lowther^  died  Nov.   15,  1855,  aged  46  Yrs.,  6  mos.,  13 
ds. 

Priscilla,  wife  of  B.  W.  Bee,  born  Feb.  14,  1825 ;  died  Dec.  17, 
1888. 

Harriet  Brissey,  born  Dec.  25,  181 1;  died  Dec.  5,  1885,  aged  73 
Yrs.,  II  Mo.,  10  Ds. 

Asa  Fitz  Randolph,  died  Sep.  3,  1903,  aged  70  Yrs.,  6  Mos.,  18 
das. 


APPENDIX 


447 


A    LIST  OF   STUDENTS  WHO  MATRICU- 
LATED IN  ALFRED   UNIVERSITY 
FROM  WEST  VIRGINIA. 


Names.                    Year  of  Matriculation. 

Reside 

1855-1856 

Esther  Fitz  Randolph  Burdick,'^ 

Greenbrier    Run, 

Judson  Fitz  Randolph, ^ 

Greenbrier   Run, 

Preston  Fitz  Randolph,^ 

Greenbrier    Run, 

Silas   Fitz   Randolph,^ 

1856-1857 

Greenbrier    Run. 

Darius  King  Davis,i 

1857- 1858 

New  Salem. 

Franklin   Fitz   Randolph, i 

New   Milton, 

Jethro  Fitz  Randolph, ^ 

1862-1863 

Greenbrier   Run. 

Andrew  Judson  Charter,^ 

1865-1866 

West    Union. 

George   Washington   Fitz 

Randolph, 

New   Milton, 

Lewis  Fitz  Randolph, 

187 I -1872 

New    Salem. 

Abraham  Wolfe  Sullivan, 

1874- 1875 

Lost    Creek. 

Arthur  Bond, 

Lost    Creek, 

John  Edwin  Meatherell, 

Clarksburg, 

Calphurnia  Fitz  Randolph 

Meatherell, 

Berea, 

Experience  Fitz  Randolph 

Burdick, 
1875-1876 

Berea. 

Gideon  Henry  Fitz  Randolph, 

New  Salem. 

1876-1877 

Terence  McGuire  Davis, 

1881-1882 

Long  Run. 

Emza  Fitz  Randolph    Coon, 

Berea. 

1882-1883 

Virgil   Fitz   Randolph, 

1883-1884 

Berea. 

Ermine  Basil   Davis, 

New    Milton, 

Hannibal  Hamlin  Davis, 

1884-1885 

New   Milton. 

Ora   James   Davis, 

New    Milton, 

Herman  Ceberry  Ford, 

Salem, 

I.     Formerly    students    at    the    West    Union    Academy,    at    West    Union,    Vir- 
ginia,  now   West  Virginia. 


448       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

Corliss  Fitz  Randolph,  New    Milton, 

Ellsworth  Fitz  Randolph,  Berea. 

I 885- I 886 

Boothe  Colwell  Davis,  Jane   Lew, 

Crede   Hammond  Davis,  New    Milton, 

Emily  Virginia  Davis,  Salem, 

Morton  Wardner  Davis,  Jane  Lew, 

Stillman  Forest  Lowther,  Salem, 
Florence  May  Fitz  Randolph  Toivnscnd,    Salem. 

1886-18871 

Columbus    Franklin    Davis,  Lost    Creek, 

Belle  Langfitt  Summers.  Morgansville. 

1887- I 888 

Aurelius  Grantham  Davis,  New  Milton, 

Martha  Lelia  Davis  Brozvn,  Salem, 

Rosa  Davis,  Lost   Creek, 

Samuel   Hoffman  Davis,  Jane  Lew, 

Silas  Benton  Davis,  Salem, 

Tressie  May  Davis  Trainor,  Lost    Creek, 

Virginius  Leonidas  Davis,  New    Milton, 

Herbert  Lewis  Ford,  Long   Run, 

Amanda   Ethel   Hall    West,  Auburn, 

Gertrude  Fitz  Randolph,  Lost  Creek, 

Delbert   Edwin    Smith,  Morgansville. 


Elsie  Belinda  Bond, 
Thomas  Marsden   Bond, 
Arthur  Clarence  Davis, 
Wifliam   Ernest    Davis, 

1889-1890 
Alva  Fitz  Randolph, 

1890-1891 
Cleora  Fitz  Randolph    Jordan, 

1891-1892 
Cora  Davis, 

1892-1893 
Joshua  Ledona  McWhorter, 

I 893- I 894 
Charles   Gilbert  McWhorter, 

I 896- I 897 
Samuel  Brumfield  Bond, 

1897-1898 
Alva  Lucien   Davis, 


Aberdeen, 
Aberdeen, 
New    Milton, 
Lost  Creek. 

Berea. 
Berea. 
Salem. 
Quiet   Dell. 
Quiet   Dell. 
Aberdeen. 
New    Milton. 


I.  For  the  names  since  1885-1886,  in  this  and  the  following  lists, 
acknowledgment  is  due  Professor  Alpheus  B.  Kenyon,  Registrar  of  Alfred 
University,  and   to   Mr.   Silas  G.    Burdick,   recently   Principal   of  Alfred  Academy. 

(28) 


lEV.     DARIUS     KI\(;     D.WIS. 


Maleta   Haseltine   Davis, 

Harvey  Evans, 
Delvinus  Fitz  Randolph 

Beatrice    Lowther    Clarke, 


APPENDIX 

1898-1899 

I 899- I 900 


449 


1900-1901 


GRADUATES    OF     ALFRED     UNIVERSITY 

Name. 

1862 
Preston  Fitz  Randolph,  E.  M., 

1869 
Darius  King  Davis.  A.   B., 

1874 
Darius  King  Davis,  B.  D., 

1878 
Abraham   Wolfe   Sullivan,   A.   B., 

1879 
Calphurnia  Fitz  Randolph,  A.  L., 
Experience  Fitz  Randolph,  A.  B., 

1881 
Terence  McGuire  Davis,  A.  B., 

1885 
Experience  Fitz  Randolph,  B.  D., 

1888 
Corliss  Fitz  Randolph,  A.  B., 
Gideon  Henry  Fitz  Randolph,  A.  B., 
Virgil  Fitz  Randolph,  Ph.  B., 

1890 
Elsie  Belinda  Bond,  A.   B., 
Boothe  Colwell  Davis,  A.   B., 
Herman  Ceberry  Ford,  Ph.  B., 

1893 

Alva  Fitz  Randolph,   B.   S., 

1897 
Samuel  Brumfield  Bond,  A.  B., 

1900 
Maleta  Haseltine  Davis,  Ph.  B., 
Delvinus  Fitz  Randolph,   A.   B., 


Jane    Lew. 

Jane   Lew. 
Berea. 

Salem. 

FROM     WEST    VIRGINIA. 

Residence 

New  Salem. 

New  Salem. 

New  Salem. 

Lost  Creek. 

Berea, 
Berea. 

New  Salem. 

Berea. 

New    Milton, 

Salem, 

Berea. 

Aberdeen, 
Jane  Lew, 
Salem. 

Berea. 

Aberdeen. 

Jane  Lew, 
Berea. 


450       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 

SEVENTH  DAY   BAPTIST  SOLDIERS. 

THE   REVOLUTIONARY    WAR. 

Asa  Bee, 

Richard  Bond,  Major, 

Rev.  Jacob  Davis,  Chaplain, 

Rev.  John  Davis,  (2d), 

Samuel  Lippincott,i 

Samuel  Fitz   Randolph,  Ensign  in   Second  Regiment  of  Sussex 
County,  New  Jersey. 

Cornelius  Sutton, 

William    Davis,   a    brother    of    Rev.    Jacob     Davis,     was    in    the 
British  Army.- 

wayne's  war." 

Jonathan   Fitz   Randolph,    (son  of   Samuel,   the   founder  of  the 
village  of  New   Salem. 

Daniel  Davis,  a  private  in  the   ist  Troop  of  Dragoons, 

David  Davis,  Surgeon's  mate, 

James  Davis, 

James  Davis,  private. 

W.\R   OF    181 2. 

Nathan  Davis,  Captain, 

Rev.  Peter  Davis. 

CIVIL    WAR.* 
Names.  Regiments. 

Arthur  G.   Bee,  Co.    G,    14th    Reg.,    Infantry, 

Ephraim   W.   Bee,  Co.  C,  6th  Reg.,  Infantry, 

Ephraim  W.  Bee,  Co.  H,  4th  Reg.,   Cavalry, 

Joel  Bee.  Co.  M,  6th  Reg.,  Infantry, 

Joel    Bee,  Co.  F,  ist  Reg.,  Light  Artillery, 


1.  Cf.      The   Davis   Families.     By   James    B.    Davis,    p.    9. 

2.  Ibidem,    p.    10. 

3.  Diligent  inquiry  has  failed  satisfactorily  to  establish  any  connection  between 
the  settlers  in  the  village  of  New  Salem,  Virginia,  and  any  of  these  five  soldiers 
in  the  army  of  General  Anthony  Wayne,  in  the  campaign  in  which  he  defeated 
the  Indians  at  the  Maumee,  except  that  of  Jonathan  Fitz  Randolph,  who  was  the 
son  of  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph,  the  founder  of  the  village  of  New  Salem.  The 
other  four  names  are  courteously  supplied  by  C.  M.  Burton,  Esq.,  of  Detroit, 
Michigan,  who  copied  them  from  Wayne's  Orderly  Book.  They  are  offered  in 
the   hope  that  by  a  bare  possibility,   they  may  prove  of  value. 

4.  This  list  has  been  compiled,  largely,  from  the  Aniuial  Report  of  the 
Adjiitant  General  of  the  State  of  West  Virginia,  for  the  year  ending  December 
SI,  1S64.  Wheeling,  1865.  The  report  for  the  following  year,  states  that  Ritchie 
County  furnished,  in  all,  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  (625)  men  for  the  Federal 
Army  during  the  war;  Doddridge  County,  five  hundred  and  ninety-five  (595); 
Harrison  County,  twenty-one  hundred  and  eighty-eiglit  (2188);  and  Lewis  County, 
sfven    hundred   and    forty-five    (745). 


APPENDIX 


451 


Josiah  H.  Bee,^  Co.\  C, 

Obediah  Bee,  Co.  M, 

Richard   Bee,  Co.  M, 

William   Bee,2  Co.   H. 

Camden  Bond,  Co.  C, 

Henry  C.  Bond,  Co.   H, 

Nathan  C.  D.  Bond,  Co.  E, 

Richard  E.  Bond,  Co.  K, 

Thomas  Bond,  Co.  A, 

Charles  B.   Bonnell,  Co.  G, 

Jonathan    Bonnell.  Co.    B, 

Leeman  Bonnell,  Co.    B, 

Enoch  Childers,  Co.  E, 

Abner  J.  Davis,  Co.    A, 

Austin  M.  Davis,  Co.  A, 

A.   S.   Davis,  Co.   K, 

Benjamin  F.  Davis,  Co.  A, 

Daniel    T.    Davis,  Co.  E, 

David  Davis,  Co.  M, 

Eastburn  A.  Davis,  Co.  A, 

Eli   Davis.  Co.   A, 

Eli  F.  Davis,  Co.  A, 

Ezra   Davis,  Co.   H, 

Franklin    Davis,  Co.   H, 

Granville  H.  Davis,  Co.   A, 

Hezekiah   S.  Davis,  Co.   K, 

James   M.   Davis,  Co.  K, 

James  W.   Davis,  Co.   K, 

Joshua   F.   Davis,  Co.  E. 

Lewis  Davis,  Co.    C, 

Lewis   Davis,  Co.   H, 

Owen  Davis,  Co.    M, 

Riley  G.   Davis,  Co.   A, 

Stephen   C.   Davis,  Co.  G, 

Sylvanus  Davis,  Co.   G, 

Timothy  K.   Davis,  Co.   G, 

William   Davis,  Co.   E, 

Wm.   E.   Davis,  Co.   M, 

Wm.  H.  H.  Davis,  Co.   E, 

Wm.    R.    Davis,  Co.  A, 

Richard  Ford,  Co.  H, 

Thomas    N.    Gribble,  Co.    C, 

Thomas   E.   Holiday,  Co.   A, 

John  Hutson,  Co.  A, 

Peter  F.   Hutson,  Co.   E, 


6th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
6th  Reg.,   Infantry, 
6th  Reg.,   Infantry, 
,  7th  Reg.,   Infantry, 
6th  Reg.,   Infantry, 
4th   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
3d  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
6th  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
14th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
6th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
Independent, 
Independent, 
3d  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
17th    Reg.,    Infantry, 
14th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
6lh   Reg.,   Infantry, 
14th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
3d  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
6th  Reg.,   Infantry. 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
4th   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
4th  Reg..   Cavalry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry. 
6th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
6th  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
3d  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
6th    Reg.,    Infantry, 
4th   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
14th    Reg.,    Infantry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry. 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry. 
3d   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
3d   Reg.    Cavalry, 
14th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
4th  Reg.,  Cavalry, 
6th    Reg..    Infantry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
4th   Reg.,   Cavalry, 


1.  Captain  of  the  company. 

2.  Re-enrolled  in  Co.  C,  of  the  same  regiment. 


452 


SEl'ENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Peter    F.    Hutson,  Co.  A, 

A.  W.  Jeffrey,  Co.  K, 

William  Jett,  Co.  G, 

William  Jett,  Co.  K, 

Daniel    D.    Kildow,  Co.  E, 

Francis  M.  Kildow,  Co.  E, 

John  McClary,  Co.  A, 

W.   F.    McWhorter,!  Co.  E, 

Cornelius  Maxson,  Co.  A, 

David    F.    Randolph,  Co.  G, 

Samuel   F.    Randolph,  Co.  K, 

Jabez   Spurgeon,  Co.  M, 

Enoch   M.    Sutton,  Co.  H, 

Israel   W.   Sutton,  Co.  A, 

Taylor   Sutton,  Co.  E, 

Thadeus  Sutton,  Co.  E, 

Wm.  Wildman,  Co.  E, 


14th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
6th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
l.|th   Reg.,   Infantry, 
6th   Reg.,    Infantry, 
3d  Reg.,   Cavalry, 
3d   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
14th  Reg.,   Infantry, 
3d  Reg.  Cavalry, 
14th  Reg.,  Infantry, 
14th    Reg.,    Infantry, 
6th   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
6th   Reg.,    Infantry, 
1st  Reg.  Cavalry, 
14th   Reg.,    Infantry, 
3d   Reg.,   Cavalry, 
nth    Reg.,    Infantry, 
4th  Reg.,   Cavalry. 


Sergeant. 


APPENDIX 


453 


PURCHASERS   OF  TOWN  LOTS  AT  NEW 

SALEM. 

Deeds  executed  by  Samuel  Fitz  Randolph  and  his  wife, 
Margaret,  for  lots  in  the  village  of  New  Salem  are  on  record 
in  the  office  of  the  County  Clerk  at  Clarksburg,  Harrison 
County,  West  Virginia,  as  follows : — 

"in"  lots.^ 


No. 

of  Lot.        Name  of  Purchaser. 

I. 

Matthew    Parremore, 

2. 

Simeon  Maxson, 

3- 

Jacob    Davis's    Heirs, 

4- 

Matthew    Parremore, 

6. 

Enoch  Betts, 

7- 

William  Maulsby, 

8. 

James  Davis,   Sr., 

9- 

James  Davis,  Sr., 

10. 

William  Eraser, 

II. 

Enoch    Betts, 

12. 

Ann   Davisson, 

13- 

Jacob    Davis's    Heirs, 

14- 

Thomas   Clayton, 

IS- 

Matthew    Parremore, 

i6. 

John  Davis,   Sr., 

17- 

William  Davis,  Jr., 

17. 

Thomas   Davis, 

18. 

John  Hinton, 

20. 

Zebulon   Maxson, 

21. 

John   Hinton, 

22. 

Zebulon  Maxson, 

23- 

Zebulon    Maxson, 

24. 

Nathan    Davis, 

26. 

William  Davis,  Trustee  for  New 

Salem  Church, 

27. 

Nathan  Davis,  Sr.,^ 

29. 

Jacob  Davis's  Heirs, 

— . 

John  Kidd, 

Date  of  . 

Deed. 

January  15, 

1796, 

January  13, 

1796, 

January  13, 

1796, 

January  15, 

1796, 

January  15, 

1796, 

January  15, 

1796, 

February  13, 

1796, 

February  13, 

1796, 

March  25, 

1814, 

January  15, 

1796, 

February    15, 

1796, 

January  13, 

1796, 

January  14, 

1796, 

January  15, 

1796, 

January  13, 

1796, 

February  13, 

1796, 

November  13, 

1810, 

February  6, 

1798, 

February  13, 

1796, 

February  6, 

1798, 

February  13, 

1796, 

February  13, 

1796, 

September  S, 

1803, 

September  5, 

1803, 

February  13, 

1796, 

January  13, 

1796, 

September    10, 

.      1799- 

1.  The  name  of  "New  Salem"  as  a  postoffice,  became  "Salem,"  by  order  of 
the   Post   Office   Department,   in   March,    1884. 

2.  The   "in"    lots  contained   eighty-four   square   rods   each. 

J.      Conveyed  to  the  New  Salem  Church,  by  Nathan  Davis,  and  Ann  his  wife, 
by   deed  under  date  of   March    14,    181 1. 


454 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


OUT      LOTS/ 

Nc 

7.  o/'  Lo^           Name  of  Purchaser. 

Date  of  Deed. 

I 

Nathan  Davis,  Sr., 

February  13, 

796, 

2 

Zebulon   Maxson, 

February  13, 

796, 

3 

Zebulon   Maxson, 

February  13, 

796, 

4 

Thomas    Babcock, 

February    14, 

796, 

5 

John  Davis,  Sr., 

January  13,           i 

796, 

6 

Jacob   Davis's   Heirs, 

January  13, 

796, 

7 

Jacob  Davis's  Heirs, 

January   13, 

796, 

8 

Matthew    Parremore, 

January  15, 

[796, 

9 

Thomas    Babcock, 

February    14. 

796, 

10 

Simeon  Maxson, 

January  13,          1 

796, 

II 

James    Davis, 

February  13. 

1796, 

12 

Thomas  Clayton, 

January   14. 

[796, 

13 

Enoch  Betts, 

January   15, 

796, 

14 

Enoch   Betts, 

January  15, 

[796, 

15 

WilHam  Maulsby, 

January  15, 

796, 

19 

Thomas   Babcock, 

January  15, 

[796, 

i6 

Enoch    Betts, 

January  15, 

[796, 

17 

Enoch    Betts, 

February    14. 

[796, 

i8 

Thomas   Babcock, 

January   15, 

796, 

19 

WilHam  ]\Iaulsby, 

February    14, 

1796, 

20 

William  Maxson, 

September    5, 

t803, 

21 

Thomas    Babcock, 

February    14, 

1796, 

22 

Enoch    Betts, 

January  15, 

[796, 

23 

Enoch   Betts, 

January  15, 

[796, 

25 

Enoch  Betts, 

January  15, 

1796. 

25 

James    Davis, 

February  13, 

1796, 

26 

Thomas   Babcock, 

February    14, 

1796, 

27 

Enoch    Betts, 

January  15, 

1796, 

28 

Matthew    Parremore, 

January  15, 

1796, 

29 

Enoch    Betts, 

January  15, 

1796, 

30 

Enoch  Betts, 

January  15, 

[796, 

34 

William  Maulsby, 

January  15, 

t796. 

I.     The  "out"  lots  contained  from  two  to  three  acres  each. 


p  mm  mm  mm  mm  ^m  mm 

m  S?i?^  ^^k  ^^-S  S?^^  Grfjf^-^  'J^'^ 
IrS  Stl^^  Sil^^  S'li^-'JS  lil^^  Si^^^^  -iL^^ 

ssisi  f?is?(2csr!l*i  r*Ji!7?'c»"W*i  (*ra-^2?!!<*i  f^]%;^5rn«i  f^li5?»s:?ir3^  r»jJsfr>3wr 

^  Sj^Se^  ^i^S^jM  ^^'3^)^  'mS^m  ^m3^mi>  ^m3^^. 


INDEX. 


Aberdeen,  VV.  Va.,  448,  449. 
Ada,  Ohio,  363. 
Adams,  Mary  E.,  242. 
Adams  Centre,  N.  Y.,  216. 
Ailes,  Moses  H.,   167. 
Albion  Academy,  gg,  374. 
Albion,  Wis.,  gg,  374. 
Alexander,  Robert,  i2g,  130,  I7g. 
Alfred,  N.  Y.,   102,  ig7,  218,  258, 

3i5>  320,   356,   357,    364,    410, 

420  note,  422,  440,  444. 
Alfred  Academy,  g7,  356,  422,  448. 
Alfred  Church,  172. 
Alfred  University,    97,    24g,    292, 

2g4,  308,  309,    310,    329,    335, 

368,   375,   405    "ote,   410,   419, 

422,  427  note.   447,   448  note, 

449. 
Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  265,  422. 
Allegheny  Mountains,  44,  48  note. 
Allen,  Pamela,  196. 
Allgor,  William,  428,  430. 
Alton,  III,  361. 
America,  245. 
American  Army,  413. 
American     slavery,     385.        (See 

Slavery,  also). 
American  Missionary  Association, 

328. 
American    Revolution,     40.      (See 

Revolutionary  War,  also). 
American   Sabbath  Tract  Society, 

106,    193    note,   275,   289,   292, 
■  294,  296,  297,  303,    306,    307, 

308,    309,    310,    311,    331,    407, 

411. 
American  Seventh    Day    Baptists, 

201. 
American  War,  426. 


Amock,  Apham,  428. 

Upham,  429. 
Arkansas,  7. 
Arminian,  325. 
Armitage,  Thomas,  2  note. 
Armstrong  Township,  Westmore- 
land County,  Pa.,  52. 
Arnold,  David,  59  note. 
Arnolds  Creek,  60. 
Asbury   Park,    10. 
Ash,  Catharine,  433. 
Ashburn,  Emma,  381. 

Flavins  E.,  380,  381. 
Ashaway,  R.  I.,  218. 
Ashley,  John,  429,  430. 
"Association  in  New  Jersey,"  loi 

and  note. 
Auburn,  W.  Va.,  362,  366,  448. 
Auger,  428  note,  430  note. 
Auger,  Elisabeth,  26,  33. 
Auger,  Joseph,  26,  33. 
Auger,  William,  33. 
Ayars,  Darkis,  429,  431. 

L.  D.,  271. 
Awful  Sentence    of    Excommuni- 
cation, 26,  84. 
Babcock,  Amy,  34. 

Asenath.   131,   179. 

Eamy,  34. 

Elisabeth,  22,  32,  33,  38. 

Emma,  34. 

Experience,  22,  32,  33. 

H.  W.,  279. 

John,  270. 

Joshua  G.,  274,  277. 

Judith,  21,  32,  33,  34. 

Maxson,  427. 

Rowse,  277. 

Ruth,   12,  31,  37. 


456 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Babcock  (Continued) 

Simeon,  29,  158,  270,  273,  427, 
429,  430. 

Simeon  H.,  287,  288,  293,  427. 

Thomas,  12,  16,  18,  21,  24,  29, 
31,  33,  34,  35.  38.  39,  84.  85, 
104,  105,  124.  398,  435.  439. 
454. 

Thomas  E.,  105,  279. 

Uri  M.,  98,  114,  289,  293,  427. 

William,  112,  128,  131,  179,  432. 
Babcocks,  61. 

Backus,  James   E.  N.,  296. 
Bacon,  Job,  74,  79. 

Rhoda,  74,  79. 
Baker,  Halsey  H.,  384,  385. 

Joshua,  54. 
Bailey,  James,   121,  267,  286,  327. 
333,  384.    385.  387,    388,    392. 
407. 
Bald  Eagle.  54. 
Ball,  Elisabeth,  125. 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  R.   R.,  357- 
Barber,  Cynthia,  422. 

John.  422. 
Barbour  County,  W.  Va.,  47. 
Barkley,  Thomas,  432. 
Barnstable,  Mass.,  416. 
Bartlett,  Joseph,  429,  430. 
Baptists,  36,  399. 
Baptist  Church,  262,  413,  420,  424. 

Clergyman,  353. 

Denomination,  360. 

Institution,  377. 
Bassell,  "Mr.",  153,  160. 
Batten,  Abner,  169,  316,  399. 

Abraham,  348. 

Elisabeth,  444. 

Elisabeth  Bond,  444. 

John  M.,  214. 

T.,  444- 

William,  156,  170.  348,  444. 
Battens,  61. 

Battle    of    Brandyvvine,    246    and 
note. 

Fallen  Timbers,  46,  55. 

Monmouth,  27. 
Beach  Lick,  43. 
Beard,  Jacob,  432. 


Bear   Fork  of   Cove    Creek,    189, 

241,  405. 
Bear  Fork  Church,  252,  293,  294, 
295,  298,  311,  340.    (Also  see 
Conings   Church). 
Bear  Fork  Sabbath   School.    (See 

Conings   Sabbath   School). 
Bear  Track,  43. 

Bedford  County,  Tenn.,  157  note. 
Bee,  Abigail  A.,  365. 
Albert,  210. 
Allen,  210. 
Almira,  210. 

Amaziah,     113,     120.    121,    129, 
175,  176,  177,   180,  181,  182, 
183,  184,  185,  187,  188,  190, 
191,  192,  193,  338.  348,  443- 
Angelina,  210. 
Arthur  G..  210,  226,  450. 
Asa,  112.  113,  121,  128,  131,  182, 
200,  201,  202,  205,  206,  209, 
210,  279,  339,  365,  433.  450. 
Asa,  widow  of,  182. 
Azor  Estee,  210. 

B.  Wilson,  210,  340.  446. 
Catharine,  360. 

C.  R.,  210. 
Charles  W.,  210. 
Cordelia,  210. 
Elisabeth,  210. 
Elisabeth  Ann,  210. 
Elma,  210. 

Ephraim,  128,  130,  174.  177,  179, 
182,  360,  432. 

Ephraim  W.,  450. 

Eudolpheus,  210. 

Eudolpheus  J.,  220. 

Ezekiel,  87,  93,  112,  113,  120, 
122,  129,  174,  175,  176,  177, 
178,  180,  182,  185,  202,  205, 
206,  210,  269,  278,  279.  345, 

445- 
Hannah,  210. 
Hannah  Maxson,  365. 
Ingaby.  132,   180,  210. 
Ira,  210. 
Isaiah,  54.  55,  133.  180,  353,  357, 

364- 
Jeremiah,  210,  215. 


INDEX 


457 


Bee  (Continued) 
Jerusha,  210. 
Joel,  210,  450. 
John  D.,  128,  17S,  180,  182.  189, 

210,  433. 
John  Nelson,  210. 
Jonathan,   131,  433. 
Josiah,    128,    175,    177,    178,    180, 

182,  210,  215,  230,  278  note, 

364.  433- 

Josiah  H.,  451. 

Kosannah,  210. 

Laomi,  210. 

Lear  V.,  210. 

Louise,  360. 

Luhama,  210. 

Mariah,  445. 

Martha,  131. 

Mary,  210. 

Mary  A.,  210. 

Obediah,  451. 

Olive  E.,  210. 

Ozina  M.,  210,  219. 

Perdilla,  210. 

Priscilla,  180,  210,  446. 

Priscilla  Davis,  364. 

Rhoda,  129,  187,  188,  443. 

Richard,  451. 

Sally,  210. 

Sedilla,  210. 

Stephen,    210. 

Tacy  Jane,  215. 

"The  Elder",  205. 

William,  451. 

Zebulon,  206,  210,  291,  365. 

Family,  87,  182. 
Bees,  61. 

Beissel,  Conrad,  245,  246. 
Bell,  Hannah,  432. 

James,  432. 

Sarah,  433. 
Benedum,  John  H.,  360. 
Bennington,  Vt.,  421. 
Berea,  W.  Va.,  76,  216,  248,  357, 
370,   445    and   note,    447.    448, 
449- 
Berkeley  County,  Va.,  44. 
Berlin  Church,  265,  313. 
Bert!}-,  John,  125. 


Betts,  Enoch,  453,  454. 
Besontown,  75. 
Big  Steer  Creek,  30  note. 
Bingamon  Creek,  48  note. 
Black  Lick,  43. 

Black  Lick  Church,  219,  304,  305, 
306,  307,   309,   310,    311,    312, 
342,  424- 
History  of,  261. 
Clerks,  263. 

Constituent  members,  263-264. 
Deacons,  263. 
House  of  worship,  262. 
Licenced  to  preach,  263. 
Membership        in        superior 

bpdies,  262. 
Moderators,  263. 

Organisation,  261-262. 
Pastors,  262. 
Black  Lick  Run,  261,  262. 
Black  Lottie,  384  note. 
Black  Manuel,  384  note. 
Blair,  William  M.,  379,  380. 
Blaisdell  Machinery  Co.,  425. 
Blandville,  W.  Va.,  46,  361. 
Blennerhassett  Island,  55. 
Bliss,  William,  39. 
Bliven,  Eliza,  196. 
Block-house,  58,  85. 
Bloomfield,  Kezia,  431. 
Blossom,  Elizabeth,  416. 

Thomas,  416. 
Blough,  Leannah,  250. 

Noah  B.,  247,  248,  250,  341. 
Blue  Ridge  Mountains,  43. 
Bolair,  W.  Va.,  365. 
Bond,  Abel,  91,  93,   109.   no,   146. 
148,    149,    150,    151,    154,    159. 
163,   164,   165,    169,    171,    314. 
315,    316,    317,    318,    319,    320. 
323,    324,    338,    383,    414    and 
note,  426,  444. 
Abel  D.,  168. 
Abel  P.,  345,  348. 
Ahva  John  Clarence,    240,    306, 

308,  311,  340,  427. 
Alfred  J.,  196. 
Amelia,  149,  432,  444. 
Anna,  320. 


458       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Bond  (Continued) 
Ann  E.,  237,  239. 
Arthur,  447. 
Austin  O.,  169. 
Benjamin  F.,  76,  77,  80,  94,  196, 

271,  272,  414  note. 
Betsey,  237. 
Boothe,   160,   162,   163,   170,  338, 

415- 
Brumfield,  338,  415,  444. 
Camden,  451. 
Cassandra,  196. 
Charles  M.,  381. 
Clarence  L.,  380,  381. 
Cora  E.,  381. 
Deacon,  169. 
E.,  444. 
Ebenezer,   170. 
Edy,  444. 

Edwin  Passmore,  196. 
Eli,  93,   149,  230,  274,  338,  432, 

444- 
Elisabeth,  149,  239,  444. 
Elisabeth  S.,  239. 
Elsie  B.,  379,  380,  415,  448,  449. 
Emeline,  210,  215. 
Ethelbert,  343,  345,  349.  352,  414 

note,  432. 
Ethelbert  and  wife,  197. 
Ethelbert  D.,  196  and  note,  197. 

360. 
Florin  L„  239,  242. 
Frances,  80. 
Mrs.  Frances  W.,  80. 
Henry  C,  451. 
Irvin,  360. 
Jacob,   443. 
Jane  C,  238. 
John  C,  237,  238. 
Jonathan,   77,  79,  271.   315,   321. 
Joshua,  262. 
Joshua  S.,  220. 
Levi,  170,  171,  317,  338,  415. 
Levi  D.,  160. 

Levi  H.,  93,  169,  171,  266,  267. 
Lewis,   94,    113,    130,    i6g,    170, 

179,  196,  197,  198,  200,  266, 

267,  269,  273,  324,  414  note, 

444. 


Bond   (Continued) 

Lewis  and  wife,  154,  197. 

Luther  A.,  170,  171,  289,  298, 
302,  304,  338. 

Luther  H.,  211,  215,  242. 

Lydia,  196,  198,  444. 

Manerva  S.,  443. 

Margaret,   149. 

Martha,  211. 

Mary,  126,  146,  149,  316,  318. 

Mary  Ann,   196. 

Mary  Davis,  360. 

Mary  E.,  444. 

Mrs.,  320. 

Naomi,  79. 

Nathan,   360. 

Nathan  C.  D.,  451. 

N.   Clayton  D.,  253. 

N.  C.  D.,  252. 

O.  Austin,  381. 

Prudence,   149. 

Rachel,  320. 

Rebecca    E.,    196. 

Reuben,  149,  433. 

Richard,  126,  146,  149,  160,  167, 
215,  216,  414,  415,  450. 

Richard  C,  76,  78,  80,  132,  168, 
171,  196,  267,  270,  271,  272, 
273,  327,  400  note,  411,  414, 

415.  434- 
Richard  E.,  210,  211,  451. 
S.,  444. 
Samuel  B.,   118,   169,    304,    305, 

306,  307,  308,  310,  337'  380, 

381,  415,  448,  449. 
Samuel    D.,   237,   238,   239,   240, 

299.  340.  370. 
Sarah,  149. 
Sarah  Powers,  414. 
Simeon,  196. 
S.  Orestes,  169,  311,  381. 
Thomas.  149,  196,  348,  384  note, 

451- 
Thomas  B.,  171,  196,  317.  406. 
Thomas  M.,  448. 
Widow,  317. 
William,  360. 
William  P.,  163,  196. 
Xenia  E.,  307,  308.  309,  381. 


INDEX 


459 


Bond,s,  6i,  86,   147. 
Bond's  Mills,  159. 
Bone  Creek,  366. 
Bonnell,  Charles,  366. 

Charles  B.,  235,  451. 

John,  418. 

Jonathan,  432,  451. 

Leeman,  451. 

Lehman,  366. 

Rhulanah,  235. 
Booker,  W.  Va.,  365. 
Boone,  Daniel,  46. 
Boston,  Mass.,  45,  56  note,  410. 
Bowen,  Joseph  C,  298. 
Boyce  School  House,  241,  243. 
Boyer,  D.  M.,  378. 
Boyles,  — ,  361. 
Braddock's  Road,  48  note. 
Bradford,   Pa.,  425. 
"Branches,"  10. 
Brand,  Elisabeth,   12,   16,    22,    31, 

John  22,  22,  33,  74,  79. 

Rebecca,  32,  38,  429. 

William,    12,   16,    17,   22,   31,   32, 

33,  34,  417,  429.  430. 
Brands,  61. 

Brandy  Gap  Tunnel,  443. 
Braxton  County,  W.  Va.,  47,  251. 

299. 
Brick  Church,  163. 
Bridgeport,  W.  Va.,  56  note. 
Bridge  Town,  (N.  J.),  148. 
Bright,   John,  86,     151,    159,    315. 

316,  323- 
Brisley,  Elisabeth,  4,  6. 
Brissey,  George  Amos,  219. 

George  W.,  243. 

Harriet,  446. 

Luther,  340. 
British  Army,  450. 
British  Central  Africa,  309. 
Broad  Run,  Va.,  399,  445. 
Broadus   College,   377. 
Brookfield,  Mo.,  422. 
Brookfield,   N.   Y.,    78,    194,    262. 

266,  321,  327. 
Brookville,  Ind.,  196. 
Brown,  Betsey,  421. 

Betsey  Estee,  421. 


Brown   (Continued) 

Elias,  421,  434. 

Elisabeth,  81,  429,  430. 

Experience,   128,  432. 

Ezekiel,   127. 

Herbert   C,  309. 

Lydia,  127. 

Martha  L.  Davis,  448. 

Nancy,  131. 

Sarah,  432,  434. 

Tacy,  127. 

Thomas  B.,  94,  154,  165,  272. 

William  H.,  218. 
Brown  University,  398,  423. 
Brownfield,  William,  76  note. 
Brownsville,  Pa.,  52  note.  56. 
Brumfield,  Mary,  414. 
Brushy  Fork,  399. 
Brunswick,  N.  J.,  150. 
Buckeye  Creek,  60,  85,  333. 
Buckeye  Fork,  60,  262. 
Buckeye  Run,  60,  85,  96,  108.  132. 

337,  339,   357,  364- 
Buckhannon,  W.  Va.,  365,  369, 

377- 
Buffalo,  N.  Y..  421. 
Buffalo  Calf,  43. 
Bull,  Captain,  54. 
BuUtown,  54. 

Burcher,  Tillman  H.,  278  note. 
Burdge,  David,  429. 
Burdick,  Alfred  B.,  281,  384,  385- 

Betsey,  422. 

Charles  A.,  97,  no  note,  114, 
121,  122,  158,  161,  166,  193, 
195,  220,  238,  283,  285,  286, 
287,  288.  328,  329,  335,  358. 
367,  368  and  note. 

Clayton  A.,  302,  308. 

Daniel  Maxson,  352,  353.  360, 
422. 

Daniel  O.,  422. 

Esther  F.  R..  447. 

Experience   R.,   300. 

Experience  F.   R.,  447. 

George  W.,  292,  300. 

Hiram  P.,  190,  193,  233,  252, 
253,  255.  293. 


46o       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN   WEST   VIRGINIA 


Burdick  (Continued) 
Judson  G.,    i88,  297.    306,    310, 

330. 

Leon  D.,  310. 

LeRoy,  364. 

Perie  R.,  360,  417. 

Silas  G.,  448  note. 

Stephen,  288,  296,  303. 

Susie  M.,  306. 

Willard  D.,  306,  308. 

William  L.,    159,    167,  261,   262, 
305,  307.  400,  418,  427- 
Bureau  of  Ethnology,  41. 
Burgess,  James  M.,  418. 
Burnsville,  W.  Va.,  254. 
Burr,  Aaron,  55,  56  note. 
Burton,  C.  M.,  450  note. 
Bush,  Michael,  362. 
Butler,  Guy  K.,  361. 

California,  7. 

Calvin,  John,  322. 

Calvinism,   151.  316,  322. 

Calvinist,  325. 

Calvinists,  322. 

Camp  Chase,  394. 

Campbell,  Alexander,  78,  88,   no, 

159.    163,    164,    195,    197,    200, 

265,   278    note,   293,   321.   322. 

323,  324.  325,  326,  331. 
Mrs.  Alexander,  323. 
Anne,  429,  431. 
Orson,  265. 
Capuchins,  246. 
Carder,  Dennis,  184. 

James  A.,  381. 
Carpenter,   Nicholas,   50   note,   53, 

S6,  58. 
Carpenters    (Nicholas)    Camp,   50 

note,  54,  56. 
Carpenters  Run,  56. 
Cat  Fish  Camp,  48  note. 
Cayuga  County,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Cecil  County,  Md.,  86,    147,    196, 

414. 
Celibacy,  246. 
Central  Association,  267,  285,  286, 

287,    288,    289,    290,    292,    293. 

294.  295,   296,   297,    298.    302, 


303>   304,   30s.  306,    307.    308. 

309,  310,  311- 
Ceremonial  Law,  213. 
Champlin,  E.  G.,  385. 
Ghana,  Samuel,  186. 
Chaney,  Samuel,  432. 
Charleston,  W.  Va..  30  note,  372. 

373,  419- 
Charter,     Andrew     Judson.     356, 
360,  447. 

Lathrop  R.,  356,  360. 
Chautauqua   Normal   Course,  290. 
Cheat   River,   30,  47,  48  note,   52 

note,  56  note. 
Chedester,  Marshall  L.,  115,  124. 

Presley,  115. 
Chenango  County,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Cherry  Camp,  85. 
Cheuvront,  Joseph,  433. 
Chicago,   111.,  424. 
Chicago  Church,  424. 
Childers,  Asher   S.,  371.  372,  378. 

Enoch,  451. 

Jane,  278  note. 

Mrs.,  55. 
China  Mission,  274,  289. 
Church,  Bethuel  C,  168,  270. 
Church  of  England.  4,  26,  141. 
Churches    (Seventh  Day   Baptist) 

in   England,   5. 
Cincinnati,   O.,  418. 
Circuit  Court  of  Doddridge  Coun- 
ty, W.  Va.,  258,  346. 
Circuit    Court  of  Harrison  County, 

W.  Va.,  45- 
Civil   War,  97,   103.   156,  209,   2i^7, 

353-  394-  408,  419,  450. 
Clarence  Church,  266. 
Clark,  Charlotte.  235. 

Effilee,  235. 

Fenton  R.,  235,  241,  340. 

G.  Wise,  252. 

Jesse,    108,    109,    191,     193,    214, 
233,  235,  340. 

Lucy  A.,  235. 

Marvel,  235. 

Milton,  234,  235,  340. 
Clarke,  Beatrice  Lowther.  449. 

Deacon,  38,  397. 


INDEX 


461 


Clark  (Continued) 
Elisabeth,  397. 
Herman  D.,  294,  308. 
J.   Bennett,  289,  295,    296,    297, 

Joseph,  397. 
Joshua,  290,  302. 
Thomas  M.,  385,  387. 
Clarke  County,  Mo.,  445  note. 
Clarksburg,  W.  Va.,  44,  45,  55,  56 
and  note,  60,  61,  135,  149,  150, 
159,    161,    32,^,   353,    354    and 
note,  277,  431,  447,  453. 
Clawson,  Abbie  M.,  380. 

Cortez  R.,  227,  378,  380,  381. 
David,   96,    103,    106,     113,     121, 
155,  156,   165,  227,  384,  411, 
444- 
J.  Alice,  380. 
John  J.,  381. 
Clauson,  John,  76. 
Clay  Pit  Creek,  9,  29,  31,  35. 
Clayton,  Elisabeth,  125,  126. 
John,  79. 
Thomas,  58,  104,  125,  453,  454. 

,  418. 

Claytons,  61. 

Clement,  Benjamin,  274,  276. 
Clendennon,  James,  320. 
Clermont,  The,  46  note. 
Cleveland,  O.,  422. 
Coburn,  Captain,  45,  55. 
Cocalico  River,  246. 
Cochran,  James  H.,  266,  267. 
Coffman,  Charles  G.,  381. 
Cohansey,   N.   J.,  2,    18,    loi,    102, 

147,  148,  151. 
Cole,  Elisabeth,  434. 
Collins,  Cynthia,  211. 

Sylvester,  211. 
Colts  Neck,  27. 
Confederate  lines,  357. 
Congress,  52. 

Conings     Church,     15     note,     189, 
252,    301,    304,    309,    310,    311, 
340.      (Also    see     Bear     Fork 
Church). 
History  of,  241. 
Clerk,  244. 


Conings  Church  (Continued) 
Deacon,  244. 
House  of  worship,  243. 
Membership        in        superior 

bodies,   242. 
Moderator,  244. 
Name,  242. 
Organisation,  241. 
Pastors,  243. 
Conings  Sabbath  School,  340. 
Connecticut,  265,  400. 
Conotoway  Baptist  Church,  79. 
Consolidation  of  the   South   Fork 
of    Hughes    River,    or    Pine 
Grove,    Church  with  the  Ritch- 
ie  Church,   205. 
Cookman,  Samuel,  161. 
Cooley,  Samuel,  82. 
Coon,  Adelia,   196. 
Amos  W.,  218,  287. 
Daniel,  88. 
D.  Burdette,  307. 
Stillman,  78,  88,  89,  91,  152,  196, 
269,  326,  405. 
Copen  Church,  299,  301,  304,  311, 
312,  341- 
History  of,  251. 

Membership        in        superior 

bodies,  253. 
Officers,  254. 
Organisation,  251. 
Records,  254. 
Copen  Sabbath  School,  341. 
Copen  Run,  251. 
Corbly,  John,  76  note. 
Cornell  University,  424. 
Cornstalk,  54. 

Cornwall,  ,  315. 

Corwin,  William,  379. 
Cottrell,  George  M.,  294. 
Ira  Lee,  115,  293. 
Libbeus  M.,  247. 
Cottrille,  Addie,  264. 
Gertrude,  262,  263,  264,  342. 
Sarah  E.,  264,  342. 
County  Clerk  of  Harrison  County, 

W.   Va.,  453. 
County    Court  of  Harrison  County, 
W.  Va.,  431. 


462        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Court    of    Record    of    Doddridge 

County,  W.  Va.,  346. 
Cove  Creek,  405. 
Covenhoven,  Jacob,  435. 

Peter,  429. 
Cranberry  Bog,  10. 
Crandall,  Eda  L.,  379. 

George  J.,  226,  294. 

Lucius,  385. 
Cresap,  Michael,  54  note. 
Cross  Creek,  48  note. 
Crofoot,  Asa  G.,  302. 
Cumberland,  Md.,  357. 
Cumberland  County,  N.   C,  409. 
Cumberland   County,   N.    J.,    429, 

430,  431- 
Cunningham,  Cecil  W.,  381. 
Curtis,  John,  429. 
Cussewago     (Pennsylvania) 

Church,    170. 
Cutright,  John,  54. 
Daland,  William  C,  298,  311. 
Darkin,  Jale,  429,  430. 
David,  Daniel,  80. 

Daniel  G.  W.,  80.  414  note,  440 

Daniel  W.,  82. 

Ebenezer,  80,  413. 

Elisabeth,  79,  80,  196,  440. 

Enoch,  75,  78,  155.  196,  413.  4i4 
and  note,  440. 

Isaac  and  wife,  80. 

James  N.,  372,  378. 

Jane,  80. 

Joseph,  80. 

Marie  E.,  440. 

Mary  Aim,  80. 

Mrs.,  317. 

Naomi,  79. 

Ov.'en,  77,  79,  413,  414. 

Penelope,  80. 

William,  80. 
Davis,  Abigail  Hoffman,  366,  411, 
444- 

Abner  J.,  188,  339,  45 1- 

Absolom  A.,  128,  132,  214,  433. 

Adolphus  A.,  235. 

Alcena  J.,  235. 

Aldis  L.,  118,  310.  381. 

Alfred,  361. 


Davis  (Continued) 
Alfred  N.,  176,  178,  180,  433. 
Almeda,  236. 
Alpheus  Martin,  361. 
Alva  L.,  448. 
Alvin  H.,  230. 

Alvin  M.,  191,  262,  263,  264. 
Alwilda,  259. 
Amos,  128,  433,  444. 
Amy,  125,  133,  146,  361,  400,  402, 

429,  430. 
Ananias,  264. 
Ananias  R.,  264. 
Anderson,  260. 
Anderson   H.,  339. 
Ann,   22.  3,2,,   34.    130.   432.   433. 

453. 
Anna,  27-  127.  364,  429,  430.  440. 
Anne,  429. 
Arthur,  264. 
Arthur  Clarence.  448. 
Artilla,  264. 
Arzander,  211. 
Asa,  433,  443. 

Aseneth,   129,  432,  433,  444. 
Austin  M..  451. 
A.   S.,  451. 

Benjamin,   131,  429.  431. 
Benjamin  P.,  451. 
Benjamin  L.,  361. 
Bethiah,  12,  31,   ^,7. 
Betsey,   127,   134. 
"Billy  Buckeye",  192  note. 
Boothe   Colwell.    36    note.    115, 

307,  308,  309,  310,  360,  400 

note,  40s  note,  410,  417,  427 

and  note,  448,  449. 
"Bottom  Billy,"  401. 
"Bottom  William,"    127. 
Calvin,  129,  130,  179.  432. 
Caroline,  361. 
Catharine,  34,  127,  131.  180,  432, 

433,  442. 
Cecelia,  259. 
C.  C,  259. 

Charles  Christopher,  361. 
Charles  Compton,  339. 
Charles  G.,  131,  132. 
Charlotta,  132. 


INDEX 


463 


Davis  (Continued) 
Charlotte,  129,  131,  264,  432. 
Clementina    M.,    339. 
Clinton  H.,  162. 
Columbus  F.,  448. 
Comfort,  16,  32. 
Content,  125,  128,  133,  433,  442, 

443. 
Cora,  448. 
Cornelius  R.,  234. 
Cornelius  S.,  234,  262,  263.  264, 

22,7- 
Crandall,  398. 
Crede  H.,  448. 
Daniel,  450. 
Daniel  T.,  451. 
Daniel  W.,  211. 
Darius  King,-  285,  289.  305,  356. 

361,  400,  427,  447,  449. 
David,  34,  129,  432,  450,  451. 
David    D.,  343    note.    348,    364. 

442. 
David  H.,  289,  302. 
Mrs.  David  H.,  302. 
Deborah,  433. 
Delia  G.,  235. 
Delilah,  129,  264. 
Delila  Chapman,  361. 
Delma  M..  381. 
Dorinda,  132,  211.  215.  445. 
Dudley  H.,   159,    163,  287,    336, 

338,  36s. 
Eastburn  A.,  451. 
Ebenezer,  265. 
Edgar  S.,  378. 
Edith,  129,  131,  180. 
Edward,  6. 
Ehud,  128,  132,  433. 
Ehud  Johnson,  361. 
Elhanan  W.,  278  note. 
Eli,  451. 
Eli  R,  451. 
Eli  R.,  260. 
Elias  B.,  129. 
Elias  L.,  130,  179. 
Elijah,  264. 
Eliona,    128.  345,  348,  349,   350, 

353.  356,  361,  400,  433. 
Elisabeth,  6,   12,   16,  31,  ^i^,  Z7, 


Davis  (Continued) 

125,  126,  127,  130,  132,  179, 
180,  361,  398,  418,  429,  430, 
432,  441,  443. 

Elisabeth  A.,  263. 

Elisabeth  P.,  132. 

Elisabeth  Jeffrey,  365. 

Emily,  132,  361. 

Emily  Virginia,    365,    404,    442, 

448. 
Emma,  341. 
Emma  J.,  256. 
Emza  J.,  361. 
Miss  E.  J.,  259. 
Enoch,  429,  431. 
Enoch   J.,   384. 
Ermine  B.,  447. 
Esther,  129,  432. 
Esther  P.,  445. 
Esther  P.  R..  361. 
Ethelbert  J.,  234,  235,  252,  261, 

299.  340.  370. 
Experience,   32,    127,     130,     179, 

256,  445- 
Experience  Thorp,  365. 
Ezra,  451. 
Hannah,    34.  Z7,   79-     125,    128, 

185,   186,  211,  264,  432,  433, 

440,  444- 
Flannibal  Hamlin,  447. 
Harmon,  259. 
Hermon,  256. 
Herman  B.,  378. 
Hezekiah,  361. 
Hezekiah  S.,  451. 
Hiram  N.,  157,  171. 
Hulda,  128. 
Huldah,  235,  433. 
Gamble  S..  256,  259,  341,  365. 
George    J.,    113,    119,    121,    122, 

126,  127,  278,  316,  317,  319, 
320,  347,  348,  349,  432,  441, 
442. 

Gladie,  264. 

Granville  H.,  191.  192,  214,  230, 

238,  378,  451- 
"Greenbrier  Billy",  54,  134,  401, 

402,  418.  441. 
Patima,  433. 


464        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Davis  (Continued) 

"Flint  Billy,"  365,  401,  442. 

Francis  M.,  211,  235,  365. 

Franklin,  451. 

Franklin  Maxwell,  361. 

Ichabod,  318. 

Ingabe,  433. 

Ira,  132. 

Ira  C,  132. 

Irving  P.  C,  361. 

Isaiah  B.,  211. 

Jacob,  18,  19,  22,  27,  28,  29,  30, 
32,  2,2,,  34,  35,  38,  58,  59,  72,, 
84,  98,  113,  119,  120,  122, 
124,  126,  133,  149,  156,  157, 
158,  165,  166,  169,  171,  191, 
214,  215,  217,  220,  230,  231, 
232,  234,  235,  238,  276,  278, 
286,  288,  289,  291,  294,  296, 

316,  340,  366,  398,  399,  400. 
403,  404,  405,  406,  407,  411, 
412,  419,  423,  426,  427,  436. 

444,  450,  453,  454- 
James,  12,  18,  22,  27,  29,  31,  ^2, 
:i2,  34,  27,  58,  124,  125,  127, 
129,  130,  137,  179,  180,  317, 
398,  405,  429,  432,  441,  450, 

453,  454- 
James    B.,   i8r,    183,    187,     189. 

190,  191,  192,  193,  213,  214. 

217,  220,  230,  241,  242,  243. 

255,  288,  293,  338,  339,  365, 

403,  427,  442,  450  note. 
James  M.,  130,  179,  451. 
James  W.,  451. 
Jane,    127,    130,     132,    215,    343 

note,  445. 
Mrs.  Jane,  316. 
Jane  Eliza,   128. 

'•Jarsey  Billy,"  55.  133,  401,  402. 
Jean,  264. 
Jemima,   131,  132,  215.  235.  403. 

412. 
Jeptha,  127,  432. 
Jesse,   105,    123,    127,    133,    316, 

317,  319,  320,  338.  433- 
Jesse  D.,  131. 

Jesse  J.,  121,  123,  128,  235. 
Jesse  Maxson,  411,  423,  444. 
(29) 


Davis  (Continued) 

Joel,  125,  132,  133,  442. 

Joel  H.,  131. 

John,  12,  14,  16,  17,  18,  22,  29, 
31,  22,  22,  34,  35,  27,  38  and 
note,  39,  58,  59,  76,  84,  85, 
86,  96,  102,  104,  III,  112, 
119,  120,  124,  125,  126,  127, 
128,  133,  136,  137,  147,  148, 
150,  151,  159,  163,  164,  173, 

^72-  313,  315,  316,  317,  323. 
326,  338,  397,  398,  399,  400 
and  note,  401,  402,  405  note, 
426,  427,  432,  433.  434.  445, 
450,  453,  454. 

John  J.,  234,  263. 

John  S.,  129,  343  and  note,  344, 
345,  347,  348,  349,  35°,  352, 
353,  361. 

John  T.,  298,  310,  427. 

Johnson,  211. 

Jonathan,  5,  125,  432. 

Joseph,  6,  12,  16,  22,  31,  32,  33, 
34,  27,  38,  61,  84,  107,  III, 
124,  125,  126,  136,  142,  178, 
182.  185,  186,  187,  428,  429, 
432. 

Joseph  and  wife,  126. 

Josephine,  433. 

Joshua,  123,  125,  127,  131,  180, 
317,  319,  338,  432,  441- 

Joshua  F.,  451. 

Joshua  G.,  90,  91,  93,  133,  442. 

Joshua  J.,  175,  176,  185,  187,  211, 

235- 
Joshua  S.,  93,  128,  168,  171,  201, 

206,  211,  339,  344,  444. 
Judith.  12,  31,  32,  27,  364- 
Julia  A.,  423. 
Kate,  256,  259. 
Katharine,  180. 
Kezia,  441. 

Keziah,   127,   130.   179,  433.  444. 
Laban,  129. 

Loverna  Beatrice,  264. 
Leander,  211. 
Leda,  264. 

Lemuel,   133,  180.  211. 
Levi,  128. 


INDEX 


465 


Davis  (Continued) 

Levi  B.,  162,  170,  171,  238,  294, 

371,  372,  378. 
Lewis,   127,   128,   129,    130,    180, 

451- 
Lewis  A.,  78,  86,  in,  128,  131, 

165,  168,  266,  267,  269,  270, 

271,  27Z,  275,  277,  319,  320. 

326,  400,  415,  427,  434. 
Lewis  Townsend,  361,  402  note. 
Linville  B.,   188,   194,  339. 
Lodowick   H.,  93,  95,    114,    120, 

121,  122,  130,   191,  230,  2,27, 

343  and  note,  344,  347,  348, 

349,  350,  351,  365,  368,  419. 

423,  433- 
Lora,  264. 
Louisa  Bell,  253. 
Lucinda,   131. 
Luke,   434. 
Lurana,  129,  432. 
Luther,  129,  130,  179. 
Lydia,  6,  34,   127,  129,  130,   179. 

398. 
Madison,  129. 
Maggie  E.,  260. 
Maleta  H.,  449. 
Maria,  264. 
Marcellus    Berkeley,    171,     172, 

338. 
Margaret,     125,    131,    132.    365, 

433- 
Martha,  6,  22,  33,  129. 
Martin  VanBuren,  120. 
Marvel,  34,  126,  146,  264. 
Mary,  6,  22,  32,  2iiy  34.  38.  126, 

129,  131,  180,  336,  398,  399, 

400,  418,  429,  432. 
Mary  Ann,  235. 
Mary  Ann  M.,  433. 
Mary  D.,  259. 
Mary  Josephine,  129,  133. 
Mary  Tacy,  361. 
Melissa,  256,  259. 
Milton,  378. 
Milton  S.,  290,  23,7- 
Morris   N.,  364. 
M.  Wardner,   120,  299,  301,  304, 

305,  308,  2,2,7,    378,  410,  448. 


Davis  (Continued) 

Moses  H.,  122,  162,  170,  171, 
191,  238,  278,  279,  283,  284, 
285,  2S6,  288,  289,  290,  291, 
292,  295,  338,  423. 

Nancy,  125,  126,  264,  442. 

Nancy  Brown,  361. 

Nancy  E.,  264. 

Nancy  L,  264. 

Nancy  J.,  342. 

Nathan,  22,  24,  25,  32,  33,  34, 
27,  61,  89,  90,  104,  105  and 
note,  107,  123  note,  125,  127, 
130,  133.  174,  178,  180,  196, 
258,  315,  316,  317,  319,  320, 
343  note,  348,  349,  350,  402, 
429,  430,  433,  440,  445,  450, 

453,  454- 

Nathan  G.,  433. 

Nathan  J.,  22,7-  AAA- 

Newton,  260. 

Okey  S.,  260. 

Ora  James,  380,  447. 

Owen,  451. 

Owen  T.,  171. 

Penelope,  22,  22,  2Z- 

Peter,  78,  86,  87,  90,  91,  95,  96, 
IDS,  107,  III,  112,  113,  120, 
121,  126,  131,  133,  141,  165, 
168,  199,  205,  213,  231,  266, 
267,  271,  276,  277,  286,  319, 
324,  401,  405,  406,  407,  412, 
415,  427,  432,  433,  443,  450. 

Peter  W.,  130. 

Phiathata,  129,  130,  179. 

Philip,    125. 

Philotheta,  211. 

Phineas,    127,   361,  433. 

Phineas  R.,  211. 

Phoebe,   132. 

Polina,  12S,  132,  433.  • 

Polina  A.,  132. 

Polina  S.  W.,  264. 

Polly,  398,  400. 

Priscilla,   128,  433. 

Prudence,  434. 

Prudence  Maxson,  403. 

Rachel,  127,  134,  361,  433,  442. 

Rachel  Hughes,  365,  404. 


4/56 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


234. 

307- 


175    note. 


126,     I 


113. 


Davis  (Continued) 
Randolph,  157. 
Rebecca,   33,   86.    131.   361.   401 

433- 
Rebekah,  22,  124,  125. 
Rhoda,  133,  180,  211. 
Rhulana,  433. 
Rhulanah,   127. 
Rhulanah  F.  R.,  361. 
Riley  G.,  118,  219,  220,  233, 

244,  252,  261,  263,  306, 

308,  340,  427.  451. 
Robert,  434. 
"Rock     Run     Billy,' 

365,  401.  445. 
Rosa,  448. 
Salla,  442. 
Sally,  125.  133. 
Sally  C,  235. 
Sabrina,  211. 
Salathiel,  236. 
Samuel,  34,  86,    125 

314.  398. 
Samuel   D.,  98,    103, 

115,  120,   122.  123,  141, 

156,  157,  158,  161,  165, 

168,  191,  193,  214,  215, 

220,  230,  2^2,  237,  238, 

241.  244,  247,  248,  252, 

254,  255,  256.  257,  274. 

277,  278,  279,  281,  285, 

288,  295,  297,  299,  302, 

310,  330,  333'  363.  370. 

385,  386,  393.  400  note, 

405,  412,  417,  419,  427. 
Samuel   H.,   117,  309,   360, 

417,  427,  448. 
S.  Preston,  256,  259,  365. 
Sapphira,   131,   180. 
Sarah,   126,   132,    149,    400, 

432.  433.  443. 
Sarah  Ann,   180. 
Sarah  Hoffman,  366,  405. 
Sehaba,  433. 
Silas  B..  379,  448. 
Silas  Carder,  337,  365. 
Simeon  Gillis,  410. 
Sophia,  129,  361. 
Sophiah,  433. 


114. 
154. 
166, 
218, 
239- 
253. 
276. 
287, 
305. 
384. 
404. 

410. 


403. 


Davis  (Continued) 

"Squire,"  129. 

Statira,  361. 

Stephen,  127,  133,  211,  320,  418. 

Stephen  C,  214,  215,  442,  451. 

Stephen  T.,  175,  177,  178,  180, 
183,  184,  191,  192,  193,  242, 
347,  348,  349,  350,  351,  365, 
443. 

Sylvanus,  230,  259,  262,  263,  342, 

451- 
Sylvester,  127,  130,  179,  432. 
S.  Orlando,  171,  378,  410. 
Tacy,   21,   32,  33,    128,    133,   432, 

433- 
Tacy  Jane,  361. 
Talitha,  211. 
Tamar,  414. 
Taysey,   133. 

Terence   M..  337,  368,  447,  449. 
Theodore,  132,  133,  263. 
Thomas,  6,   12,  21,  22,    29,    31, 

32,  33,  37,  .39,  429-  431.  435, 

436,  453- 
Thomas  A..  163. 
Thomas  B.,  170,  361. 
Thomas  Edgar,  338,  339. 
Timothy  K.,  451. 
Victoria,  264. 
Vienna,   127. 
Virginius  L.,  4_i8. 
Waitman    T.     Willy.    252.    2^3. 

341- 

Wardncr,  162.  (Also  see  M. 
Wardner). 

William,  6,  12,  16,  21,  22,  29, 
30,  31,  32.  .33.  34.  37,  39.  54, 
55,  58,  59,  61,  83,84,  100,  105, 
107,  123,  124,  125,  126,  127, 
133.  1.34.  ^37,  142,  178,  260. 
317,  319,  .397,  398,  399,  400, 
401,  402,  405,  418,  427,  432, 
433,  435.  436,  439.  441.  450. 
451,  453- 

William,  of  Wales,  i. 
Ancestry,  i. 
Applies     for     membership     in 

the  Newport  Church,  4. 
Arranges  to  go  to  England,  5. 


INDEX 


467 


Davis  (Continued) 

Banished       from       Pennepek 
Church,  2. 

Becomes  a  Baptist,  i. 

Becomes  a  Seventh  Day  Bap- 
tist, 2. 

Becomes       a       follower       of 
George  Keith,  i. 

Becomes    a    member    of    the 
Westerly  Church,  5. 

Becomes  a  Quaker,  i. 

Born       in        Glamorganshire. 
Wales.  I. 

Conflict  with  Keith,  4. 

Death,  7. 

Descendants,  7. 

Educated    at  Oxford    Univer- 
sity,  I. 

Emigrates  to  America,  i. 

Invited      by      the      Westerly 
Church  to  preach,  5. 

Marriage   and   children,  6. 

Organises     a     Seventh     Day 
Baptist   Church,  2. 

Publishes  a  book,  2. 

Removes    back     to     Pennsyl- 
vania, 6. 

Removes        to         Monmouth 
County,  N.  J..  7. 

Returns      to      the      Westerly 
Church,  6. 
William    B.,    123,    129,    132,    192, 

214,  230,  2,2,7- 
William  E.,  448,  451. 
William  P.,  134,  365,  404,  442. 
William  G.,  130,   179,  365. 
William   H.    H..   278  note,   339, 

451- 
William   J.,    129,    130,    174,    175, 

176,  177,  178,  179,   180,  185, 

348,  349,  365,  445. 
William  L.,  191,  311,  339. 
William  R.,  451. 
William   S.,    129,    130.    131.    179, 

180. 
W.  Franklin,  122. 
Z.,  445- 
Zania,  264. 
Zebulon,  131.   133,  398. 


Davis   (Continued) 

Ziba,    128,    133,    211,    213,     214, 
215.  219,  220.  230,  433. 

Zippa,  400. 

"Davis  disabled",  2. 

Davis    (town    of),    W.    Va..    56 
note. 
Davises,  61. 
Davisson,  Ann.  453. 

Daniel,  55. 

Hezekiah,   50  note. 

Samuel,   275,   276. 
Dawson,  Henry,  2i'  38. 
Da3%  Gideon,  34,  39. 

Lois,  79. 
Deal,  N.  J.,  9.  14. 
Delaware  Indians.  2. 
Delaware   River,  46  note. 
Denham,   Abby,   432. 
Denham,  John,  432. 
Dennis,  Anna,  34. 

Catharine,    34. 

William,  34. 
DeRuyter,  N.  Y.,  88,  152,  159.  167, 

316,    319,     321,    325.    -'r22. 

DeRuyter  church,  314. 
DeRuyter  Institute,  422. 
Detroit,  Mich.,  450  note. 
Dew,  Lela,  381. 
Dicks,  Mrs.,  320. 
Dinwiddie,  Governor,  44. 
Doddridge  County,  W.  Va.,  47,  61, 

176,    178,    328,    222,    343,    351- 

357,   402,   404,    419,    423,    450 

note. 
Doddridge  County  Court,  187. 
Doddridge,  Joseph,  63,  64,  67,  68, 

69,  72. 
Doak,  G.  O.,  379,  381. 
Dougherty,    Dr.,   363. 
Dover,  Delav/are,  413. 
Drake,  55. 

Rachel,  79. 
Duck  Creek,  Delaware,  413. 
Dunaway,  John,  146,  319. 

Mary,    146. 
Dunham,    Jonathan,     18,     32,     38. 

398,   431. 
Stephen,  72,  74-  77,  79- 


468        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Dunkards   (see  Dunkers). 
Dunkers,  245,  246. 
Dunlap's  Road,  48  note. 
Dunn,  Charlotte,  80. 
David,  80. 
Elisabeth,  430,  431. 
Elston  M.,  290,  301. 
James,  74,  yy,  79. 
Manning,  148,  150,  313. 
Sarah,  80. 
Duvall,  John  P.,  50  note. 
Eastern  Association,  103,  172,  265, 
281,    285,    287,   288,    289,    290, 
292,    293,    294,    295,    296,    297, 
298,    301,    302,    303,    304,    306, 
307,    308,    309,    310,    311.    3^7 < 
i:i2„  384,  385,  392,  393.  394- 
East  Jersey,  150,  416. 
East   New  Jersey,  413. 

Province  of,  12,  14. 
Eastern   Division   of   New   Jersey. 

28. 
Eaton,  Nellie,  380. 
Eberbach,  245. 
Eckerling,   Israel,   7. 

Samuel,  7. 
Edwards,  Isaac,  432. 

Morgan,  30. 
Ehret,  Clyde,  340. 
Elisabeth,  211,  215. 
Flavins  J.,   118,    120,    224,    226, 
22y,  295,  296,  299,  301,  304, 
305,  306,  308,  309,  310.  2>2:y, 
370,  378. 
Hannah  M.,  211. 
Jacob,  215. 
Joanna,  215. 

John,  206,  211,  215.  2ig,  220,  226. 
Sarah  A.,  215. 

William   P.,  211,  214,   215,  220, 
224,  339- 
Eggleston,  D.  Q.,  59. 
Elberon,  9. 

Election  Commissioners,  156. 
Elk  Creek,  44,  45,  55,  60,  109,  147, 

159-  338,  384  note,  399,  414. 
Elk  River,  43. 
Ellenboro,  W.  Va.,  357. 
Emporia,  Kansas,  361. 


England,  4,  5. 
Envelope  system,  293. 
Ephrata,  Penn.,  7,  246. 
Episcopalian   Church,  4. 
Etruscan  Characters,  41. 
Erie  County,  N.  Y.,  266. 
Ernst,  William  H.,  296. 
Estee,  Abigail  Thompson,  421. 
Azor,  96,  121,  154,  165,  168,  178, 

276,  277,  278,  z^y,  343,  344, 
349,  352,  353,  357,  360,  362, 
407,  420. 

Betsey  Brown,  362. 
Charles  B.,  362,  421. 
Daniel  Maxson,  421. 
Henry,  421. 

James   A.,  357,  360,  421. 
Stephen,  421. 
Susan  M.,  420,  421. 
Evans,  Evan  4. 
Harvey,  449. 
Col.  John,  50  note. 

Fall  Run,  30  note. 

Farmington,  111.,  401. 

Fasting,    14. 

Fast  Days,   17,  40,  loi. 

Fayette    County,    Pa.,   47,   50,    53, 

58,  59  note,  84,  196,  268,  398, 

413,  417- 
Federal  Army,  394. 
Feet-washing,  14,  15  and  note,  16. 
Ferris,  W.   H.,   163. 
First  Brookfield  Church,  266. 
First  Day  Baptist  Church,  78. 
First  Day  Baptists,    80,  138,    140, 

141,  151,  216,  325. 
First    Hopkinton    Church,   4,   265, 

393- 
Fishomingo    County,    Miss.,    423. 
Fiske,  Byron  E.,  301. 
Fitch,  John,  46  note. 
Fittro,   Silas,  359. 
Fleming,  James,  434. 
Flesher,  Eliza  Jane,  340. 

J.  L.,  340. 

Rebecca  Ann,  242,  340. 

Sigourney,  340. 

William  H.,  242,  243,  244,  340. 


INDEX 


469 


Flint,  Amaziah,  235. 

John,  359. 

Mary,  236. 
Flint  Run,  60,  85,   108,    357,    365, 

423- 
Ford,  Albert,  365,  433. 

C.  Laton,  256,  259,  378,  380, 

Elisabeth,  132,  365,  409. 

Emily,  131,  132. 

E.  Jane.  256,  259. 

Festus   P.,    256,  259,    290,    301. 

303,  340,  341,  378. 
George,  121,   122,   131,   132,   191, 

230,  337-  348,  349- 
Hamilton,  365. 
Herbert  L.,  448. 
Herman   C,   447,   449. 
Irene  Belle  Davis,  259. 
James,  256,  259,  :i27- 
Laura,  255. 

Laura  A.,  256,  259,  341. 
Lillie  M.,  256,  259,  341. 
Polina,  131. 
Rhulanah  Davis,  365. 
Richard,  114,  131,  132,  191,  227^ 

348,  349,  353,  357. 
Samuel  A.,   190,   191,    233,    261, 

342. 
Samuel  L.,  256,  258,  259,  341. 
Septimius     Ardvern,    256,    259, 

341- 

Talitha  W.,  256,  259. 

Thomas,  132,  432. 
Ford,  Reed  and,  30. 
Forsythe,  Eli,  272,  272,,  274,  277. 

John,  149,  169,  171,  270,  316. 

Sarah,   149. 
Forsythes,   147. 
Fox,  Elisabeth,  445. 

Elisabeth   Burgess,  420. 

George,   i,  420,  445. 

Mary  Elisabeth,  420. 
Frame  Church,  153,  160. 
France,  46  note. 
Franklin  County,  Penn.,  421. 
Eraser,  William,  453. 
Erasure,  Elisabeth,  131. 
Frazee,  Stephen,  430. 
Frazer,  Stephen,  430. 


Free    Methodists,   36. 
Free  school  system,  357. 
Freehold,  27. 

French  and  Indian  War,  44. 
French  Creek,  Penn.,  315,  320. 
French  Creek  Church,  77. 
Friendship,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Frontier  life  described,  63. 

Housewarming,  67. 

Labour  and  its  discouragements, 
69. 

The  Mechanic  Arts,  70. 

Wedding  Customs,  64. 
Frum,  Orestes  W.,  381. 
Fulton,  Robert,  46  note. 
Furby,  Melvina  Davis,  259. 

Gaelic  Characters,  41. 

Gamble,  James  L.,  307. 

Gardiner,  Dora,  310,  2)Z7,  381  • 
Theodore  L.,  99,   no,   116,   117, 
118,  219,  249,  292,  300,  301, 
303,  308,  309,  310,  311,  374. 
375,  376,  378,  379- 

Gardner,  Kansas,  361. 

Garner,  Isaiah,  362. 
John,  362. 
Sarah  Ann  Williams,  362. 

General  Assembly  of  Virginia,  48 
note,  56,  58,  89,  178,  196  note, 
258,  344.  345.  347,  351,  354- 

General  Conference,  78,  88,  98, 
loi,  135,  137,  138,  147,  148, 
152,  163,  164,  172,  194,  195, 
197,  202,  205,  216,  231,  239, 
243,  247,  254,  258,  262,  265, 
266,  268,  273,  293,  313,  314, 
326,  327,  369,  370,  400,  411, 
426. 

Georges  Camp,  43,  182. 

Georges  Creek,  7:^,  315. 

Georges  Township,  Fayette  Coun- 
ty, Penn.,  72,,  81. 

German  Baptist  Brethren,  245. 

German  Seventh  Day  Baptists, 
246,  247,  284,  285,  421. 

German  Seventh  Day  Baptist 
Cemetery  at  Ephrata,  Penn.. 
246. 


4/0 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IX  WEST  VIRGINIA 


German      Seventh      Day      Baptist 

Church,  245,  249. 
Germantown,  Penn.,  245,  246. 
Germany,  245. 
Gettysburg,  Penn..  357. 
Gibson,  William,  5. 
Gibson  City,  111.,  362,  421. 
Gifford,  Ananias,  34. 
Anna,  402, 
Anney,  429,  430. 
Elisabeth,    34. 
Hannah,  429,  430. 
Joseph,  34. 
Margaret,    430. 
Mary,    34. 
Sarah,   34. 
Gillette,  Walter  B.,78,  97,  113,  121, 
122,    157,    161,    213,    214,    215, 
229,    230,    247,    274,    2,2Z,    328. 
^37,  339,  384.  393- 
Gillis,  Elisabeth,  417,  433. 
Gillman,  Lettitia,  430,  431. 
Gilmer   County,    W.   Va.,   47,   241, 
328. 

Girty,  54- 

Gist,   Christopher,   44. 

Glades,  The,  74. 

Glendola,  N.  J.,  36. 

Gloversville,  N.  Y.,  421. 

Gochenauer,  William  Alonzo.  252, 

253. 
Goodwin.  E.   A.,  211. 
Henry  H..  211,  224. 
Gordon,  William  J.,  157  and  note, 

158. 
Goss,  Hamilton,   150,    164. 
Government  of  the  United  States. 

56. 
Grant,  Eliza,  415,  434. 
Graves,  James,  316. 

Thomas,  2,  4. 
Great  Kanawha  River,  43.  44. 
Great  Branch,  10,  28,  35. 
Great  Miami,  52. 
Greathouse,  Daniel,  54. 
Greek  Characters,  41. 
Greenbrier,  119,  127,  166,  217,  218. 

319.  325.  340,  352,  364,  443- 


Greenbrier  Church,    97,    108,  113, 

118,  123,    190,    193    note,  219, 

238,  241,    252,    261.    262,  263, 

287,  288,    289,    290,    291,  292, 

293,  295,   297,   301.    303.  304, 

305.  306,    307,    309.    310,  311, 

328,  403,  412,  420,  424. 

History  of,  229. 

Church  clerks,  234. 

Constituent  members,  235. 

Deacons,  233. 

House  of  worship,  231. 

Licenced  to  preach,  233. 

Membership        in         superior 
bodies,  231. 

Moderators,  234. 

Organisation,  229. 

Pastors,  232. 
Greenbrier  Sabbath  School,  340. 
Greenbrier  County,  70,  420. 
Greenbrier  Run,  54,  60,  85,  87,  96, 

106,    107,    108,    109,    121,    133, 

205,    229,    230,    231,    239,    324, 

403,  404,  412,  447. 
Greenbrier  River,  48  note. 
Greene,  Charles  H.,  440  note. 
Joel,  77,  78.  88,  94,  152,  164,  173, 

265,    266,    267,    2'/T,.   320,    321, 

323,  326,  2,27. 

John,  86,  109,  159,  316,  317.  318, 
320,  2>25,  401,  402. 

Sister,  323. 
Greenmanville  Church,  385.  386. 
Greenville,  54. 
Greggory,  Jane,  429,  430. 
Cribble.  Talitha  C,  215. 

Thomas    N.,    215,   451. 
Griffin,  Eliza,  317. 

Isaac,  76,  316,  318,  320. 

Mary,  74,  79,  80. 

Mrs.,  317. 
Griswold,  Sherman   S..    293.    384, 

385,  394- 
Growden.  Barbara,  250. 
Jeremiah,  250. 

Hacker,  William,  54. 
Hackers  Creek,  46  note,    54,    61, 
86,  147,  159,  160. 


INDEX 


471 


Haddonfield,  N.  J.,  417. 
Hagerty,  Venie,  381. 
Halbert,   Prine,  211. 
Hall,  Mary,  80  . 

David,  28. 

Elisha,  366. 

Lawson,  366. 

Lucinda,  433. 

Peter,  125,  126. 

Susannah  Thorp,  366. 

William  P.,  433. 
Halle,  245. 

Halls  Run,  85,  106,   108,   121. 
Hamilton,   Alleyne,  380. 
Hammond,  Louisiana,  118. 
Hampton,  Elisabeth,  26,  2>2- 

John,  2)2- 
Hankinson,  Aaron,  416. 
Harbert,  Calvin,  34. 

John,   432. 

Samuel,   432. 
Harrison     County,     W.     Va.,     30 
note,   44,  45,  46,   47,   58,    178, 
196,    314,    328,    356,    357-    2,72>, 
376,    411,   414   note,   423,   431, 
450. 
Harrisville,   W.   Va.,   361. 
Haven,  Mary  J.,  379. 
Havens,  Anna,  22,  32.  2>i^  i7- 

Elisabeth,  428,  430. 

Jacob,  Z2>- 

John,  37,  429,  430. 

Lydia,  22,  2>3- 
Hawker,  Henry,  378. 
Hayfield,    Penn.,   321. 
Haymond,  John,  59. 

William,  50  note. 
Hays,  H.  T.,  353. 
Haystack   Knob,  48  note. 
Hebrew  Religion,  201. 
Hebrews,  201. 
Hebron,   Penn.,   357,  364. 
Heckewelder,  2  note. 
Hersey,  Thomas,  76  note. 
Hetrick,    Noah,   363. 
Hevener,    Abigail     H.,    237,    238, 
240. 

Amanda  J.,  239. 

Ina,  340. 


Hevener   (Continued) 

John  J.,  237,  238,  239.  240. 

Mansfield    M.,     22,7,    240,    242, 
340. 

Mary  E.,  22,7,  238. 

Reuben,  2^7,  238,  239,  366. 
Hickman,  Andrew  Jackson,  365. 
Hildeburn,  Charles  R.,  2  note. 
High  School  at  West  Union,  278. 
Hill,  James,    125,    272,    272,    417, 

432,  433. 

Joshua,   132,   168,  270,  271,  272, 
273,  274,  415. 
Hills,  George  W.,  311. 
Hinton,  John,  453. 
Hitt,  Sarah  Catharine,  253. 
Hoard,  Alice  Maud,  379. 
Hodgson,    Mary,   52. 
Hoff,   Eri,   211. 

Malinda,  211. 
Hoffmire,  Mener,  430,  431. 
Holiday,  Thomas  E.,  451. 
Holland,  399. 

Holmes,  W.  Howard,  381. 
Holtz,  Xenia  Davis,  259. 
Home     Department     of     Sabbath 

School,  303. 
Homer,  N.  Y.,  422  note. 
Hopkinton,  R.  I.,  38  note,  86,  89, 
102,    137,    138,    147,    152,    159, 
326,  400,  426. 
Hopkinton   Church,  313. 
Hopping,  Jane,  403. 
Howard,  Patty,  433. 
Howell,  Elisabeth,  127,  130,  179. 

George   W.,    130,    179. 

John,  317. 

Jonathan,  126,   130,   179,  320. 

Lucinda,   129. 

Maria  A.,  129,  130. 

Mariah  A.,  179. 

Mary,   130. 

Washington,  129. 

Howell,  Town  of,  9. 
Hubbard,  J.  Frank,  328. 
Huddy,  Joshua,  27. 
Hudson,  Tho.  M.,  433. 
Hudson  River,  46  note,  265. 
Huffman,  Elisabeth,  146,  149. 


472        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Huffman   (Continued) 

John  L.,  99,  115,  117,  118,  159, 
162,  167,  190,  193,  219,  227, 
252,  255,  261,  262,  288,  296, 
298,  299,  300,  301.  370.  272, 
272,,  374,  378.  379,  427- 

Moses,    146,    148,    150,    167,    171, 
400,  426. 
Huffmans,  147. 
Hughes,  Abigail,  127.  133. 

Ann,  236,  443. 

Asenath,  126. 

Betsey,  319. 

David,  128. 

Dudlej',  126,  133. 

Elisabeth,  127. 

Hannah,  126. 

Jesse,  54. 

Jonathan,  126,  127,  133. 

Leah,  126. 
Martin,  127,  443. 

Mary  129,  131,   180,  380. 

Rachel,  433. 

Sally,    132. 

William,    126. 
Hughes   Fork  of   Buckeye   Creek, 

189. 
Hughes  River,  365. 
Hull.  Nathan  V.,  88,  265,  287. 
Hunters  Fork,  43,  286,  2>23- 
Hurley,  James  H.,  427. 
Hursey,  Elmore  B.,  109. 
Husted,   N.  Victoria,  256,  259. 
Hutson,  Charlotte,  235. 

Delia  L.,  264. 

Evan,  432. 

John,  451. 

May  M..  264. 

Peter  F.,  451,  452. 

Winter,  432. 
Hyatt,  James,  132. 

Ideographic  characters.  41. 
Illinois.  7,  363,  422. 
Independence,  N.  Y.,  279,  326. 
Indiana,    275,    315,    318,    320,    326, 

401. 
Indians.  28,  41,  45.  46.  47  and  note, 

54,  55.  56,  60,  85. 


Indians, 

Delawares,  43. 

Mingoes,  43. 

Northern  Confederacy.  54. 

Shawnees,  43. 

Six  Nations,  43.  44,  47,  53. 
Ingle,  Arthur,  362. 

Jacob,  362. 

Mahala  Rachel,  362. 

Salina,  362. 

William,  362. 
Inspirational  views,  245. 
Irish,  James  R.,  289. 
Iowa,  7,  80. 
Irish  Baptists,  2  note. 
Issues   of   the   American   press   in 

Pennsylvania,  2  note. 
Jackson,  Benjamin  W.,  347. 

George,  58. 
Jackson   Centre,   O..   94,    158,   401, 

409. 
Jackson  Centre  Church,  271,  272, 
273,    274,    275,    276,    277,    284, 
287,  288,  289,  311,  312. 
Jane  Lew,  W.  Va..  141  note,  248, 
363.   384   note,    399,   405,   410, 
415,  448,  449. 
Jansen,  Reynier,  2  note,  3. 
Jarvis,  James,  128. 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  46. 
Jefferson  County,  W.  Va.,  45. 
Jeffrey,  A.  W.,  452. 

Benoni,  352. 

Clarissa,  362. 

Benoni  Israel,  352,  362. 

Columbia,  336, 

Content   Ann,   362. 

Delia  Ann,  180,  256,  259. 

Joseph,  131,  175,  176,  177,  180, 
181,  186,  187,  192,  343  note, 
345,  347,  348.  349,  35  L  352. 
362,  402,  433.  445. 

Louise,  362. 

Lydia,  432. 

Neely,   133. 

Neely  D.,  176,  180,  347. 

Robert  Alexander,  352,  362. 

Sophia  Ann,  362. 

Stillman,  362. 


INDEX 


473 


Jeffrey    (Continued) 

Tacy,  131,  180,  445. 

Tacy  Davis,  362. 

Tamar,  445. 

William,  183,  378. 
Jennings,  Alfred,  363. 

Hiram,  361. 
Jesses  Run,  54. 
"Jesus  the  Crucified  Man"  etc.,  2 

and  note,  3. 
Jett,  Leonard  F.,  221. 

Sophronia  E.,  215. 

William,  211,  213,  214.  215.  221, 
223,  227,  339.  452. 

Jew,  325- 

John,  Elisabeth,  79. 

Jehu,  79,  82. 

John,  196,  413. 

Louisa,  196. 

Lydia,   196. 
Johnson,  Elisabeth,  402. 

Elisha,   402. 

Fred  F.,  300. 

John,   363. 

Joseph,  56  note. 
Johnston,  Elisha,  429,  430. 
Jones,  Albert  R..  338. 

Henry,  131. 

Hester,   131. 

Jane,  80. 

Joshua  E.,  211. 

Mary,   434. 
Jordan,  Cleora  F.  R.,  448. 

Jacob  B.,  248.  249,  250. 

Jennie,    250. 

Jerome,  249,  341. 

Kagarise,  George  B.,  248.  250.  296. 
298,  300,  341. 

Susan,  250. 

Wilson,  248,  341. 

Wilson  S.,  250. 
Kansas,  7,  183. 
Leroy,  Kansas,  361. 
Keith,  George  i,  4. 

Governor  of  Penn.,  6. 
"Keith,  George,  Disabled."  4. 
Keithians,  2. 


Kelly,    Abigail,    131. 

Ai  G.,  211. 

Archibald    W.,     192,    261,    339. 

Asa,  182,  338,  443. 
Catharine  L.,  211. 

Eleanor  D.,  443. 

Emily,  443. 

Estella,  211. 

Ezekiel,  211,  215. 

Ezekiel  B.,   188. 

Festus,  340. 

Jemima,  180. 

John,  129,  131,  182,  432. 

Mary  Ann,  131. 

Mordecai  B.,  304. 

Nathan,  182,  252,  33S,  443. 

Ruanna,  211. 

Sophia,   129. 
Kelleys,  61,  87. 
Kelsey,  Henry  C,  428. 
Kemper,  T.  Francis,  380,  381. 
Kennedy,  Belinda  H.,  444. 

L  Scott,  379. 

James,  149,  318,  399- 

Lloyd  R.,  162. 

Loman  J.,  163. 

William,  156,  169,   170,  191,  280, 
289,  338,  444- 

Zurah,  149. 
Kennedys,  61. 
Kenyon,  Alpheus  B.,  448  note. 

George  P.,  303. 
Kidd,  John,  453. 
Kildow,  Daniel  D.,  196,  542. 

Francis,  76. 

Francis  M.,  230,  242,  452. 

John,  80,  445. 

Naomi,  154. 

Naomi  David,  445. 
Kile,  Luther  E.,  187. 
Killingvvorth,  Thomas,  r,  4. 
King,  John   S.,  246. 
Kinney,  Benjamin,  259. 
Kirby  Farm,  36. 
Knight,  Blackvvell,  362. 

Elisabeth  Holliday,  362. 

John,   129,   130,   179. 

Mary,  130,  179. 

Taliaffero   K.,  362. 


474 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Knight,  W.  Va..  360. 
Koon.  Mary,  434. 
Lake  Superior,  43. 
Lafferty,  Elisabeth,  34. 

Henry,  34,  38,  39. 

(also  see  McLafferty). 
LaForge,  Delilah,  417. 
Lamberts  Run,  60,  83,  106,  135. 
Lancaster,  Penn.,  44. 
Langstaff,  Mary,  430,  431. 
Langvvorthy,  B.  F.,  384. 
La  Salle,  43. 
Lasure,  Andrew  J.,  242,  340. 

Ary,  242. 

Emily  E.  Spurgeon,  242. 
Lawrence,  Alphonso,  303. 

Deborah,  429,  430. 
Leath,    David    W.,    188,    190,   219. 

2i2„  249,    263,  309.  423. 
Lederer,  John,  43. 
Lee,   (General),  27. 
Lee's  Army,  357. 
Leeson,  John,  192,  340. 

Mary  Ann,  340. 

Nancy  Ellen,  340. 

Thomas,  340. 
Leonardsville,    N.    Y.,   370. 
Levenston,  Charity,  127.  (See  Liv- 
ingston). 
Lewin,  Amanda,  362. 

Eliza,  362. 

William,  362. 
Lewis,  Abram   Herbert,   106,   161, 
193,    283,    288,    292,    306,    307, 
308,    309,    310,    331,    332,    338. 

Charles   M.,    114,    121,   122,  223, 
329,  384,  408. 

George  W.,  118. 

Henry    B.,    218,    289,    298,    299, 
370. 

Mary,  414. 
Lewis   county,   47,    178,    361,    399, 

403,  450  note. 
Lewisport,  Va.,  87,   105,   106,   107, 
109,    121,    123    note,    173,    175, 
178,  182,  185,  319,  325,  402. 
Lick  Run,  181,  189. 
Lincklaen,  N.  Y.,  422. 


Lippincott,  Amy,  124. 

Darwin    C,    118,    188,    190,   219, 
232,  234.  248,  249,  261,  262, 
263,  304,  306,  307,  310,  427. 
Increase,  22,  a. 
Lemon,  270. 

Samuel,  58,  120,  124,  125,  450. 
Lippincotts,  61. 
Little  Brushy  Neck,  28. 
Little   Genesee,   N.   Y.,    352,    360, 

423- 
Little  Genesee  Church,  423. 
Little  Kanawha  River,  43,  53,  54. 
Little  Miami,  52. 
Livermore,  Leander  E.,  293,  296. 
Livingston,      Charity,      127,      (see 
Levenston). 
William,  416,  417. 
Logan,  54. 
London,  4,  5. 

Long,  David  C,  246,  247,  285. 
George  C,  250,  341. 
Jacob,  247,  285. 
Long  Branch,  9,  10. 
Long  Island  Sound,  7. 
Long  Run,  W.  Va.,  60,   108,   189, 

304,  2,27,  447.  448. 
Long  Run  Station,  W.  Va.,  261. 
Long  Run  Sabbath   School,  337. 
Longacre,  John   Wesley,  362. 
Loofboro,  Abigail,  432. 
Davis,  167,  316,  318. 
D.    W.,    149. 
Eli  F.,  427. 
John,   127. 
J.   W.,   149,  432. 
Mary,  149,  432. 
Mrs.  Mary,  318. 
Matilda,  432. 
Sarah,  432. 
Loofboros,  61,  66,  147.   (See  Luf- 

bery,  also). 
Los  Angeles,  California,  422. 
Lost  Creek,  61,  86,  94,  100,  143, 
147.  157,  162,  226,  266,  267, 
271,  280,  284,  287,  290,  314, 
315,  316,  317,  321,  324.  326, 
227,    331,    32,2,    233,    335-    338, 


INDEX 


475 


Lost  Creek  (Continued) 

366,    367,    368,    2>72,   407,  414. 
423.  444.  447,  448,  449- 

Lost  Creek  Church,  87,  88,  90,  91, 

92,  93,  96,  100,   102,   103,  no, 

112,    113,    118,    126,    137,  142, 

191,    I95»    198,    200,    214,  216, 

219.    229,    230,    232,    2:i7,  238, 

240,    242,    249,    252,    254,  261, 

266,    267,    269,    270,    271,  272, 

273,    274,    275,    276,    277,  278, 

279,    280,    281,    283,    284,  286, 

287,    288,   289,    290,    291,  292, 

293,    294,    295,    297,    298,  299. 

301,    303,   304,    305,    307,  309, 

310,    311,    313,    316,    318,  319, 

222,     324,     327,     329,     330,     332, 

336,  338,  370,  383,  384  note, 
385,  386,  387,  388,  393,  394, 
399,  400,  401,  404,  405,  406. 
407,  408,  409,  411.  412,  414. 
415,  423,  426. 
Lost    Creek    Church,    History    of, 

143- 
Controversy      over      Calvinism, 

151- 
Deacons,   169. 
Graveyards,  162. 
Letter    to    General    Conference, 

147,   148. 
Licenced  to  preach,  167. 
Meeting  houses,  160. 
Membership  in  superior  bodies, 

172. 
Mission  to  Tennessee,   157. 
Moderator,  170. 
Organisation,  146. 
Parsonage,   163. 
Pastors,   163. 
Quiet  Dell  and  Hackers  Creek, 

159- 
Records,  143. 

Second  Lost  Creek  Church,  152. 
Troubles  arising  from  the  Civil 
War,  156. 
Lost  Creek  Sabbath  Schools,  338. 
Lost  Creek  Station,  160,  163. 
Louchery,  D.  C,  379. 
Edna,  381. 


Lower  Dublin,  Penn.,  2  note. 
Lower   Squankum,  9. 
Lowther,  Beatrice,  306,    307,    22)7^ 
380. 

Catharine  R.,  21 1. 

Celina,  211. 

Daisy,  381. 

Decatur,  199,  200,  211. 

Dorinda,  199,  200,  211. 

Elias,  211. 

Emza  M.,  211. 

Jesse  M.,  206,  211,  212,  433,  446. 

Johnson   J.,    192,   255,   261,   339, 

364- 
Jonathan  C,  199,  200,  211,  212, 

291,  339- 

Lucian  D.,  379. 

Lucinda,  211. 

Mabel,  381. 

Mandane,  212. 

Margaret,  199,  200,  212. 

Mary,   199,  200,  212. 

Rebecca,  199,  200,  212. 

Similde  J.,  212. 

Sophronia,  212. 

Stillman   P.,    120,   212,  2;2>7'  338, 
360,  448. 

Thomas  H..  212,  360. 

Varnum    B.,    188. 

William  L,  174. 

William  W.,  212. 
Lowther  Family,  325. 
Lufbery,     Abraham,      431.      (See 

Loofboro,  also). 
Mack,  Alexander,  7. 

Andrew,  245. 
Mackie,   Ann,  432. 
Macjunkin,  Elisabeth,  362. 

Joshua,   362. 
Mad  River  Church,  150,  164,  314, 

318,  399. 
Madison      (Jay      County,      Ind.) 
Church,    271,    272,     273,     274, 

275- 
Mahany,  Charles,  363. 

William,  363. 
Mahoney,  James  G.,  309. 
Main,   Arthur  E.,    117,    226,    247, 
290,  294,  295,  296,  302.  311. 


476        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Maine,  357. 

Manasquan,  10  note,  12,  18,  32,  t,J, 

397- 
Manasquan  River,  6,  7,  9,   10,  35, 
38  note. 

Maneer,  ,  363. 

Manning,  Elisabeth,  416. 
Manufacture  of  Salt,  9. 
Marlboro,  N.  J.,  232,  444. 
Marietta,  O.,  53,  56. 
Martin,   Abraham,   79. 

Ann,  79. 

John,   430. 

Marcus  E.,  190,  205,  206,  212, 
228,  233,  239,  240,  241,  242, 
243,  244,  257.  261,  262,  263, 
301,  305. 

Mrs.  Marcus  E.,  340,  342. 

Margaret,  34. 

Nathan,  76. 

Nathaniel,  79. 

Robert,  52. 
Marvin,  Eugenia,  380. 
Maryland,  43,  48    note,    61,     147, 

383. 
Matthevir,  Levi  B..  128. 

John  W.,  128. 
Maulsby,  Amelia  Charlotte,  363. 

Lawson,  363. 

Mary  Lethe,  363. 

Tabitha  Ogden,  363. 

William,  453,  454. 
Maumee   River,    46,    55,    85.    450 

note. 
Maxson,  Anna,  135,  142. 

Annetta,   133. 

Bethiah.  12,  31,  34,  435,  436. 

Catharine,    131,    132. 

Catharine  L.,  235. 

Charity,  125. 

Charles  N.,  162,  170,  171.  290, 
292,  294,  295,  296,  298,  299, 
301,  338,  370,  2i72,  378. 

Charlotte  D.,  379. 

Cornelius,  235,  452. 

Daniel,   421. 

Deacon,  ~t,,   124. 

Drusilla,  433. 

Elisabeth,   12.  21,  22,  31,  32,  i^,. 


Maxson   (Continued) 

34,  126,  128,  432,  436. 
Elisha  J.,  220,  242,  252. 
Elva,  220. 
Emma  A.,  379. 
Ephraim,  22,  29,  32,  zi^  34.  35, 

39,  133-  135.  429.  430,  436. 
Experience,   21,   28,   t,2i^  34.   '^iZ, 

432,  435,  436. 
George,  34,  84,  124,  432. 
Gideon,  128,  132,  235. 
Hannah,  433. 

Holly  Welcome,  170,  171,  295. 
Jacob,  120,  127,  130,  179,  318. 
Jacob  D.,  320. 
James,  34,  84,  124,  125,  129,  130, 

136,  142,  179. 
Jane,  433. 

Jesse,  34,  84,  125,  128. 
John,  22,  29,  Z2>,  34,  ^7,  38,  125, 

128,  344,  397- 
Jonathan,  385. 
Joseph,  6,  12,  21,  24,  31,  32.  33, 

37,  38,  39.  397,  430,  435- 
Judith,  16. 
Lydia,   129,  432. 
Marvel,  22,  33,  126,  432,  436. 
Mary,  22,  33,  38,   125.   126,   128, 

131,  180,  443. 
Mosher,    16,    17,   32,   34,  84,  85, 

III,    123,    124. 
Nathan,  22,  2,3,  429.  430,  435. 
Parmelia,  126. 
Permelia,  433. 
Piety,  432. 

Prudence,  34,  429,  430. 
Rebekah,  127. 
Ruth,  22,  32,  2>3- 
Sally  A..  423. 
Sanford   L.,   99,    115,    116,    301, 

309,  374,  375.  379. 

Simeon,  16,  18,  22,  24,  29,  32, 
2>2,  34.  35,  38,  119,  120,  124, 
126,  127,  130,  133,  136,  179, 
315.  316,  317-  319,  320,  453, 
454- 

Susan,  421. 

Susan   Armstrong.  421. 

Susanna,  34. 


INDEX 


A77 


Maxson  (Continued) 
Sutton,  433. 
Tacy,   16,  2>2. 
Temperance  Coon,  423. 
Thomas,  22,  26,  22i^  84,  120,  125, 

135,  137-  138,  142.  433- 
Timothy,  135,  142. 
Widow,  317. 
William,  22,  29,  2,2,  34,   35,  85. 

124. 
William    B.,   88,    313,    315,    321, 

385,  387,  393. 
Zaccheus,  86. 
Zaccheus  R.,  423. 
Zebulon,  22,  28,  29,    2>2>y  34,    35, 

37,  58,  59,  84,  III,  119,  120, 

125,  126,  433,  435,  436,  443, 

453,   454- 
Maxsons,  61. 

Shipbuilders,  9. 
Maxwell,   Franklin,  256. 

Mayberry, ,  76  note. 

McClary,  John,  452. 
McLearn,  Alexander,  297,  302. 
McCleery,   William,  50  note. 
McLafferty,   (see  Lafferty). 
McWhorter,  Joshua  L.,  448. 
Charles  G.,  448. 

Walter     Fields,     170,    191,    192. 
339,  452. 
Meat  House,  325. 
Meat  House  Fork,  43,  55,  60,  85, 
87,  96,  108,  109,  121,  133,  17s, 
176,    181,    182,    187,    189,    205, 
277,  279  note,  325,  36s,  418. 
Mediterranean  people,  41. 
Meatherell,    Calphurnia     F.    Ran- 
dolph, 340,  447. 
John  E.,  447. 
Meek,  Alfred   N.,  233,    261,    262, 
263,  342. 
Lucetta,  263. 
Menallen    (Township   of),    Penn., 

59  note. 
Meredith,   Alpheus   A.,    202,    206, 
207,  212,  291. 
Davis,  81. 

Davis  N.,  212,  222,  360. 
Edith  Pepper,  212. 


Elmina,  212. 
Hannah,    81. 
Harriet,  212. 
Jane,  212. 
Job,   206,   207,   212. 
John,  212. 
Marshall,   212. 
Mary  Ann,  212. 
Obed,    74,   79. 
Methodist  Camp  Meeting,  314. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  200, 

285,   324. 
Methodist       Episcopal       Church, 

South,  424. 
Methodist     Episcopal     clergyman, 

331- 
Methodist  Episcopal  General  Con- 
ference, 369. 
Methodist      Episcopal      Seminary, 

377- 
Methodist  Protestant  Church,  36. 
Methodist    School,    369. 
Methodists,  325. 
Miami  Rivers,  50. 
Middle  Association,  265. 
Middle  Fork  of  Ten  Mile  Creek, 

47,  56,  60. 
Middle    Island,   85,   86,     100,     123 

note,  201,  290,  319,  402. 
Middle   Island   Church,    15    note, 
47,  86,  88,  102,   107,   108,   109, 
122,    130,    131,    169,   213,    214, 
216,    217,    219,    220,    225,    229, 
230,    233,    238,    239,    242,    243, 
247,    252,    256,    258,    261,   263, 
277,    278,    279,    284,   285,    286, 
287,    288,    289,    290,   292,    293, 
294,    296,   297,    299,    301,    303, 
304,    305,    306,    307,    309,    310, 
311,    2,2>Z,    338,   402,    404,    40s, 
408,  420,  424,  443. 
History  of,    173. 
Clerks,   193. 
Deacons,  177,  191. 
Division  in,  174. 
Graveyards,  189. 
Licenced  to  preach,  190. 
List  of  early  members,  179. 
Meeting  houses,  178,  182. 


478 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Middle  Island  Church  (Continued) 
Membership        in         superior 

bodies,  194. 
Moderators,   192. 
Organisation,  173. 
Parsonage,  188. 
Pastors,   178,   189. 
Preaching   stations.    189. 
Re-organisation,   180. 
Treasurer,  178. 
Middle     Island     Sabbath    School, 

338. 
Middle  Island  Creek,  48  note,  60, 
85,    107.    133.    173,    182.    325. 
419. 
Middle  Tennessee,  157. 
Middlebourne,  W.  Va..  364. 
Middlesex  County,  N.  J.,  50. 
Middletown,   N.  J.,  9,   10,    14,    17, 
18,  20,  24,  29,  30,  31,  32,  35. 
37,  39,  99,  413,  429,  430,  431- 
Middletown  Church,  413. 
Mifflintown,  Penn.,  76,  81. 
Milan,  Tenn.,  424. 
Mill  Creek,   Penn..  44,  246. 
Miller,    Elisabeth,   343   note. 
Henry  M.,  343  note. 
Margaret,  22,  33. 
Peter,   7,   246. 
Mills,   Orpheus   S.,   218,   244.  298. 

300,  307,  340. 
Milton  College,  294. 
Milton,    Wis.,    182,    183,   247.    415. 

418,  421. 
Milton  Junction,  Wis.,  361,  415. 
Minute  Men,  45. 
Missionary  Association,  272.  327. 
Missionary  Board,  197. 
Missionary     Society,      148,      320, 
(also   see   Seventh   Day   Bap- 
tist Missionary  Society). 
Missionary  Work,  History  of.  313. 
Missions,    197. 
Missouri,   218. 
Moberly,  Mo.,  361. 
Molleson,  Sarah,  416. 
Monmouth  County,  N.  J.,  6,  7,  9. 
ID,  27,  28,  35^,  402,  428,  429. 
430,  431.  435-  436. 


Monmouth   Court   House,  27. 

Monongalia    County,    W.    Va.,   30 

and  note,  46,  47,  48  and  note. 

50  note,  63  note,  434  and  note, 

441. 

Monongahela     River.    31,  43,    45, 

47,  48  note,  53,  315,  426. 
Monroe,  James,  373. 
Monroe   County,   O.,  324. 
Moravia,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Morgan,  Morgan,  44. 
Morgan    Park    Theological    Semi- 
nary, 303. 
Morgan's   Spring.  45. 
Morgansville,  448. 
Morgantown.  W.  Va.,  45,  63  note, 

424. 
Morris.    Isaac.   84.    in,    124.    135, 
136,  142. 
John,  74,  79. 
Joseph.  433. 
Morrison,  C.  C,  380. 
H.  Homer,  215. 
Mary,  215. 
Morse,  Jedediah.  56  note. 
Morton,  Joseph  W,  387. 
Mosaic  Ceremonial  Law,  141. 
Mosaic  Law,  201,  203. 
Mound  Builders,  41. 
Moundsville,  41. 

Mount  Moriah  Baptist  Church,  of 
Fayette     County,     Penn.,     75 
note,  79. 
Mumford,  George  W.,  347. 
Muncy,  Mary  E.,  380. 
Mundy.  Ann,  79. 

Navesink,  N.  J.,  9. 
Nay,  Daniel,  365. 
Neal,  James,  50  note. 
Neeley,  Thomas  S.,  186,  187. 
Negley,  George  E.,  341. 
Nelson,  William,  428. 
Neptune,  Town  of,  9. 
New  England  States,  357. 
New  England,  12,  14,  18,  32,  43. 
New  Enterprise,  Penn.,  285. 
New  Geneva,  Penn.,  315,  316,  322. 
New   Hampshire,  357. 


INDEX 


479 


New  Jersey,  4,  5,  7,  15  note,  25, 
27,  30,  31,  43,  44.  52,  S2,,  54. 
59,  63,  72,  75,  83,  loi  note, 
103,  104,  109,  120,  147,  164, 
167,  26s,  313,  315,  318,  400. 
426,  428,  440. 

New  London,  Conn.,  32. 

New  Market,  N.  J.,  286,  385,  393, 

431,  444- 

New  Milton,  W.  Va.,  98,  181,  183, 
217,  239,  247,  258,  279,  284, 
285,  288,  296,  301,  331,  2,i3^ 
352,  364,  404,  405,  418,  419, 
420,  443,  445,  447,  448,  449. 

Newport,  R.  I.,  5. 

Newport  Church,  4,  5,  413. 

New  Salem,  Penn.,  59  note. 

New  Salem,  W.  Va.,  31,  35,  39, 
47,  50  note,  53,  54,  55.  59,  60, 
61,  63  note,  64,  83,  85,  89,  97. 
98,  loi,  104,  106,  109,  no  and 
note,  112,  119,  121,  124,  132, 
133.  147.  152.  181,  182,  225, 
269,  284,  286,  290,  292,  316, 
317,  319,  321,  324,  32s,  332, 
2>iZ,  335.  336,  2,37,  343.  344. 
348,  352,  354.  357,  358,  363. 
367,  398,  403  and  note,  409. 
417,  419,  445,  447,  449,  450 
note,  453  and  note. 

New  Salem  Church,  15  note,  35, 
45.  79.  13s.  136,  137,  147.  150. 
153.  154.  155,  157,  163,  164, 
165,  166,  168,  169,  172,  173, 
175.  176,  178,  179,  182,  183,  184, 
185,  191,  205,  214,  2t6,  229. 
230,  231,  232,  233,  238,  241, 
249,  252,  256,  258,  261,  266, 
267,  269,  270,  271,  272,  273, 
274,  275,  276,  277,  278,  279, 
281,  282,  286,  287,  288,  289. 
290.  292,  293,  294,  29s,  313, 
315,  318,  319,  324,  326,  327, 
328,  337,  358,  368,  383,  384. 
393,  394,  399.  400,  402,  404. 
405,  407,  408,  409,  411,  412. 
415,  417,  418,  419,  420,  426, 
427,  453  and  note. 
History  of,  83. 


New  Salem  Church  (Continued) 
Arrival  at  New  Salem,  83. 
Baptisms,  132. 
Church   discipline,  84. 
Clerks,   122. 

Communion  service,  99. 
Deacons,   119. 
Death  of  Jacob  Davis,  84. 
Deaths,  133. 
Fast  Days,  loi. 
Incorporated,  99. 
Internal  Dissensions,  87. 
List  of  early  members,  124. 
Meeting  Houses,  85,    97,    99, 

104. 
Membership  in   superiour  bo- 
dies,  lOI. 
Ministers,   no. 
Moderators,  120. 
Organisation    of    West    Fork 

River  Church,  83. 
Parsonage,  109. 
Quarterly   Meetings,  99. 
Ruling  Elders,  119. 
Settlements  within  bounds  of, 

85. 
Yearly  Meetings,  99. 
New  Salem   Sabbath  School,  336. 
New  York  City,  9,   loi   note. 
New    York    State,    7,    43,    53,    56 
note,  166,  314,  316,  318,  319,  327. 
Newlon,  Morton  B.,  381. 
Newman,   Bartine,   36. 
Hannah,  34. 
Margaret,  34. 
Samuel,    34. 
Nicholson,   Frances,    196. 
Francis,  80. 
Mrs.,  316,  318. 
Nancy,  80,  323. 
Noble,  Abel,  2. 
Eva,  339. 
Keziah,  188. 
Thomas  W.,  188. 
Norse  Characters,  41. 
North  America,  41 
North  Carolina,  44. 
North  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  60, 
196,  197,  200,  266,  324,  414  note. 


48o       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


North  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
Church,   154,   169,  170,  267,  269, 

270,  271,  272,  273,  274,  275,  276, 

277,  324- 

History  of,  195. 
North  Hampton,  O.,  274,  404. 
North  Hampton  Church,  269,  270, 

271,  272,  273,  274,  275,  276,  277. 
North  Shrewsbury  River,  9. 
Northumberland,    Penn.,   52. 
North-West  Territory,  52  note. 
North-Western    Association,    288, 

289,  290,  292,  293,  294,  295,  296, 
297,  298,  301,  302,  303,  304,  30s, 
306,  307,  308,  309,  310,  311,  312, 
385,  386,  387. 

North-Western  Virginia  Acade- 
my, 353,  354-  355- 

Nottinghamshire,   England,  415. 

Numan,  W.  Va.,  364,  365. 

Ocean,  Town  of,  N.  J.,  10. 
Ocean  County,  N.  J.,  10. 
Ocean  Grove,  N.  J.,  10. 
Ogden,  Chester  R.,  381. 

Cora  F.  Randolph,  237- 

Curtis  L.,  381. 
Ohley,  William  A.,  373. 
Oliphant,  Colonel,  321. 

John,  82,  441. 

Julit,  81. 

Mrs.    321. 

Samuel   Woodbridge,   441. 

Sarah,  81,  441. 

Woodbridge,  81. 
Ohio,  7,  50,  53,  75,  80,  86,  102,  164, 

169,  183,  266,  268,  270,  273,  274, 

275,  276,  277,  313,  315,  318.  320. 

326,  400,  401.  403,  404,  417,  418, 

421. 
Ohio    Association,    103.    176.    198, 

204,  277. 
Ohio  Company,  44. 
Ohio  County,  W.  Va.,  48  and  note, 

50  note. 
Ohio  River,  43,  44,  47,  53-  55,  56, 

60,  103,  272,  273,  276,  277,  356. 
Old  Dominion,  209. 
Old  Erse  Characters,  41. 
(30) 


Old   Frame   Meeting    House,    96, 

161,    162,   444. 
Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Order  of  the   Solitary,  246. 
Osborne,   Hannah,  430. 
Osmun,  Catharine,  431. 
Ott,  William  J.,  361. 
Otter  Slide,  216,  217,  224. 
Oxford  University,  2,  354. 
Pacific  Coast,  424. 
Pacific  Slope,  7. 
Palatinate,  245. 
Palmborg,  Rose,  310. 
Parker,   John,   22,   24,    25.   33,   37, 

38. 
Parks,  A.  B.,  187,   188,  443. 

Hannah,  443. 
Paris,  France,  46. 
Parkersburg,  W.  Va.,  360,  363. 
Parremore,  Matthew,  453,  454. 
Paterson,  N.  J.,  428. 
Patterson,  John,  34,  58,  74,  75,  77, 
79,  84,  III,  124,  137,  399,  432, 

434- 

Sally,  34,  74,  79. 

Sarah,  124,  137. 
Pattersons  Fork,  60. 
Paugh,  George,  230,  338. 
Pavior,  Elisabeth,  6. 
Pawcatuck  Church,  384,  385. 
Peabody  Educational  Fund,  358. 
Peakeville,  Mo.,  445  note. 
Peirman,  Mary.  79. 
Pelasgi,  41. 
Penn,   William,    i. 
Pennepek,  Penn.,  2. 
Pennepek  Baptist  Church,  2. 
Pennepek    Seventh    Day    Baptist 

Church,  4. 
Pennsboro,   W.   Va.,  60,   196,  200, 

324,  357- 

Pennsylvania,  4,  5,  6,  7,  12,  30,  31, 
43,  47,  48  note,  52  and  note, 
53,  55,  61,  69.  75  and  note, 
275,  277,  313,  315,  316,  318, 
319,  401,  417,  431,  440. 

Penyfay  Church,  i. 

Pepper,  Thomas  B.,  360. 

Perry,  P.  L.,  384. 


INDEX 


481 


Petersburg,   N.   Y.,   154,  265,  276, 

321,  7,27,  357,  360. 
Petersburgh  Church,  314,  421. 
Peterson,  Frank   E.,  304. 
Pettitt,  Charles,  417. 
Pharisee,  325. 
Philadelphia,  Penn.,  2  and  note,  3, 

4.  397,  413- 
Phoenician  characters,  41. 
Pietistic  views,  245. 
Pike  Church,  86,  131,  267,  268,  269, 

270,  271,  272,  401,  403. 
Pike  Township  Church,  271. 
Pike's  Arithmetic,  356. 
Pine  Grove  Church,  177,  202,  214, 
215,  217,  220,  221,    225,    226, 
227,   228,   282,    289,    291,    292, 
293,  294,  335,  339.    (Also  see 
South  Fork  of  Hughes  River 
Church). 
Pine  Grove  Meeting  House,  228. 
Pine  Grove   Sabbath   School,  225, 
290.    (Also    see    South    Fork 
Sabbath  School). 
"Pines,"  The,  28. 
Pirates,  28. 

Piscataway,  N.  J.,   18,  30,  38,  50, 
61,  75,  314,  416,  429,  430,  431, 
440. 
Piscataway  Church,  7,  38,  72,,  79, 

313,  316,  320,  335,  416,  431. 
Pitcher,  Molly,  27. 
Place,  Leander,  364. 
Plainfield,    N.    J.,    106,    327,    328, 

424. 
Platts,  David,  430,  431. 
David  R.,  444. 
J.  Allison,  306. 

Lewis  A.,  286,  287,  288,  294,  335, 
400,  427. 
Plymouth   (Mass.)   Church,  416. 
Plymouth  Colony,  416. 
Pocahontas  County,  W.  Va.,  48. 
Polan,  Charles  L.,  192,  193,  293. 
Experience  Davis,  259. 
John  A.,  192,  193,  194,  230,  242, 

252,  261. 
Keziah,  180. 
Manville,  O.,  339. 


Polan   (Continued) 

Samuel,  176,  180,   182,  183,  193, 
338. 
Port  Jefferson,  Ohio,  168,  270. 
Port  Jefferson  Church,    168,    271, 
272,    273,    274,    275,    276,    277, 
414,  415. 
Post,  Arthur  T.,  381. 
Potomac  River,  45,  48  note. 
Potter,  Abigail  West,  422. 
Potter,  Charles,  Jr.,  328,  385. 
C,  Jr.,  &  Co.,  328. 
Ezekiel  G.,  422. 
Joseph,  393. 
Lehman  H.,  422. 
Stephen  Thomas  West,  343,  344, 
349.  350,  352,  356,  360,  421, 
422. 

Potter  Printing  Press  Co.,  424. 
Powell,  Lela  M.,  381. 

J.   W.,  41. 

Sylvester  S.,  305. 
Powers,  Sarah,  415. 
Prentice,  Asa  B.,  286,  304. 
Presbyterians,  413. 
Presbytery,  168,  269,  270,  271,  415, 
Preston,  Jonathan,  74,  79. 
Princeton,  W.  Va.,  54,  364. 
Pritchard,   Mary,  212. 
Providence  (Penn.)  Church,  2. 
Pullman,  W.  Va.,  365. 
Puritanism,   204. 

Quakers,   i. 

Quarterly  Meeting,   100,   113,   114, 

115,  116,  128,  129. 
Quiet  Dell,  W.  Va.,  61,   109,  no, 

159,    160,    163,    198,    200,    290, 

323,    336,   338,   36s,   384   note, 

414,  448. 
Quiet  Dell   Sabbath   School,  338. 
Quincy,  Penn.  357,  421. 

Raccoon,  43. 

Randolph,  Alexander  F.,  124. 
Asa  F.,  220,  226,  227,  242,  252, 
253,  278  note,  289,  339,  446. 

Belle  F.,  ^^7. 
Calphurnia  F.,  449. 


482 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Randolph   (Continued) 
Catherine,  432. 
Charles  A.  F.,  171. 
Clyde    F.,   424. 
Cora  F.,  381. 
Corliss    F.,    294,    295,   339,    448, 

449- 
C.  M.,  372. 
Daniel  F.,  337,  363. 
Daniel  Fillmore  F.,  114,  339. 
David  F.,  125,  416,  417,  418,  429, 

430,  431,  452. 
Davis  F ;"  442. 

Deborah  F.,  132,  187,  188,  443. 
Deborah  Sutton  F.,  364,  419. 
Delilah  F.,  126. 
Delvinus  F.,  zi49. 
Edmund,  354. 
Edward  F.,  415,  416. 
Elisabeth,  132. 
Elisabeth  F.,  129,  363,  416,  417, 

433.  440. 
Elisabeth  Ann,  235. 
Elisabeth  Gillis  F.,  410. 
Elisabeth  Jane  F.,  235. 
Eliza  Gillis  F.,  363. 
Emily  F.,  336. 
Esle  F.,  339. 

Ellsworth  F.,  220,  221,  340,  448. 
Emza  F.,  221,  447. 
Ephraim  F.,  430,  431. 
Ernest  F.,  307,  337,  372,  381. 
Esther  F.,  132,  352,  354,  364. 
Experience    F.,    219,    360,    417, 

449- 
Experience  Brown  F.,  364. 
Ezra  F.,  132,  352,  364. 
Fenton  F.,  191,  336. 
Franklin   F.,   98,    123,    183,    188, 

189,  193,  230,  234,  241,  283, 

285,  286,  288,  289,  290,  293, 

29s,  296,  297,  299,  301,  303. 

338,  339,  352,  354,  364,  370. 

378,  419,  442,  447. 
George  W.  F.,  299,  370,  371,  372. 

374.  378,  447- 
Gertrude  F..  380,  448. 
Gideon  Henry  F.,  298,  360,  417, 

427,  447,  449. 


Randolph    (Continued) 

Hannah  Davis  F.,  363. 

Harriet  F.,  132,  356. 

Harriet  Meredith  F.,  424. 

Isaac  F.,  132,  273,  344,  348, 

353- 

Iseus  F.,  339. 

Jane    F.,    128,    133. 

Jepthah    F.,    105,    108,    109, 

114, 

120,  121,  122,  123,  129, 

132, 

181,   182,  183,  184,  185, 

187. 

188,  201,  214  230,  269, 

277, 

278  and  note,  279  and 

note, 

285,  287,  288,  338,  347, 

348. 

349,  351,  353,  356.  364, 

418, 

419,   433,  443- 

Jesse  F.,  106,  109,  114,  126, 

127, 

292,  295,  297,  298,  299, 

315, 

316,  317,  319,  320,  337, 

348, 

349,  353,  363,  370,  371, 

372, 

374,  378,  400,  410,  417, 

433- 

Jethro  F.,  354,  364,  447- 

John  F,,  234,  236,  340. 

John  LaForge  F.,  121,  319, 

344. 

349,  359,  364,  417,  432. 

Jonathan  F.,  89,    95,    loi, 

105, 

107,  120,  127,  129,  133, 

235, 

319,  348,  349,  353.  416, 

417, 

418,  442,  450  and  note. 

Judson  F.,  98,  113,  120,  122, 

214, 

233,  234,  23s,  241,  340, 

354, 

356,  364,  419,  447. 

Lester  C,  310. 

Lewis  F.,  98,  113,  156,  161, 

166, 

189,  193,  214,  217,  218, 

229, 

230,  232,  234,  235,  239, 

241, 

242,  28s,  289,  291,  293, 

296, 

303,  328,  340,  360,  400, 

418, 

427,  447. 

Lloyd  F.,  120,  122,  191,  214, 

230, 

336,  359,  363,  372,  378. 

Luther  F.,  114,  339,  360. 

Madison  MacVicar  F.,  363. 

Margaret    F.,    74,    79,    126, 

336, 

416,  417,  418,  431.  432. 

•440, 

442,  453- 

Maria  F.,  442. 

Maria  MacVicar  F.,  363. 

Marvel  F.,  336,  442. 

Marvel  Maxson  F.,  364. 

INDEX 


483 


Randolph    (Continued) 

Mary,  132. 

Mary  F.,  125,  416,  417,  432,  442. 

Mary  Ann  F.,  132. 

Mary  C.  F.,  442. 

Mary  Davis  F.,  364.  418. 

Mary  E.,  235. 

Mary  E.  F.,  442. 

Melissa  F.,  236. 

Mrs.,  319,  320. 

Nancy  F.,  227,  A'^7,  4i8. 

Peter  F,  348,  353,  363,  442. 

Pheneas  F.,  442. 

Phineas  F.,  336,  364,  432. 

Phineas  Chapin  F.,  336,  364. 

Preston  F.,  114,  124,  255,  285, 
286,  289,  292,  294,  296,  297, 
301,  303,  335,  22^,  337,  340, 
354,  356,  357,  358,  359,  360, 
364,  367,  378,  379,  424,  447. 
449- 

Rachel  F.,  364. 

Rachel  B.,  442. 

Ray    F.,    303. 

Rhulanah  F.,  417,  418. 

Roy  F.,  309,  339,  381. 

Rulana  F.,  433. 

Ruth,  432. 

Samuel  F.,  30,  31,  50,  52,  58,  59, 
61,  74,  75,  79,  105  and  note, 
124,  125,  127,  136,  315,  319. 
400,  415,  418,  431,  442,  450 
and  note,  452,  453. 

Samuel  Preston  F.,  187,  343  and 
note,  347,  348,  349,  350,  351, 

352,  353,  2^2,  433. 
Sarah  F.,  416,  417. 
Silas  F.,  354,  356,  364.  447. 
Tacy  Jane  F.,  364. 
Thomas  F.,  416,  430,  431,  440. 
Uric  F.,  2,72. 
Virgil  F,  447,  449. 
Virginia   F.,   363. 
Waldo  F.,  356. 
Walton  F.,  227- 
William,    432. 
William  F.,  90,  91,  92,  93,  94,  95, 

107,  120,  127,  143,  14s,  154. 

269,  270,  272,  274,  276,  280, 


Randolph    (Continued) 

343,  344,  345,  348.  349,  350, 
352,  353,  354,  364,  392,  400, 
418,  432,  442. 
Zipporah   Elisabeth  F.,  364. 

Randolph  Academy,  354. 

Randolphs,  61. 

Ravenswood,  W.  Va..  360. 

Record      Book      of      Shrewsbury 
Church,  17. 

Red  Lick  Run,  181,  182. 

Redemptioners,  25. 

Redstone   Country,   52    and    note, 

53- 
Redstone  Old  Fort,  48  note. 
Redstone,  Penn.,  50.  56. 
Redstone,  Va.,  426. 

Reed,  ,  30. 

Elisabeth,  432. 
Francis,  30  note. 
John,   30   note. 
Reed  and  Ford,  30  note. 
Revolutionary    War,    45,    50,    54, 
400,  413,  414,  450.    (Also  see 
War  of  Revolution.) 
Rhode  Island,  4,  39,  234,  265,  400. 
Rhode  Island  Colony,  14. 
Rice,  Barbara,  250. 
David  E.,  249,  250. 
John,  417. 

Richards,  ,  55. 

Isaac   H.,  212. 
John  W.,  212. 
Richburg,  N.  Y.,  423. 
Richburg  Academy,  423. 
Richmond,  Va.,  59,  344,  345,  347- 
Rickard,  Elisabeth,  442. 
Mary  Catharine,  420. 
William,  442. 
Ritchie  Church,   15  note,  97,   120, 
167,    202,    203,    204,   209,   230, 
242,    244,   248,    252,    261,   262, 
287,    288,    289,   290,   292,    293, 
294,    295,    297,    301,    302,    303, 
304,    305,    306,    307,    308,    309, 
310,    311,    328,    331,    339,    370, 
404,  412. 
History  of,  213. 
Clerks,  221. 


484        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Ritchie  Cliurch   (Continued) 

Consolidation  of  the  South 
Fork  of  Hughes  River  and 
Ritchie  churches,  221. 

Deacons,  219. 

Licenced  to  preach,  219. 

Meeting  houses,  216. 

Membership  in  superior 
bodies,  216. 

Moderators,  220. 

Organisation,  213. 

Parsonage,  216. 

Pastors,  217. 
Ritchie  County,  47,  178,  228,  328, 

356,  357,  386,  450. 
Ritchie  Sabbath  School,  225,  290. 

339- 
Riverside,  California,  364. 
Roadstown,  N.  J.,  2. 
Roane  County,  W.  Va.,  47. 
Roanoke    Church,    162,    242,    284, 

294,    297,    298,    301,   303,    304. 

305,    306,    307,    309.    311-    329. 

340. 
History    of,    237. 

Clerks,  240. 

Licenced  to  preach,  240. 

Meeting  house,  239. 

Membership  in  superior 
bodies,  239. 

Moderators,  240. 

Name,  240. 

Organisation,  237. 

Pastors,  239. 
Roanoke,  W.  Va.,  238,  262,  366. 
Roanoke   Sabbath  School,  340. 
Robinson,  James  E.,  47  note. 
Robinsons  Fork,  60,  366. 
Rock  County.  Wis.,  76,  80,  418. 
Rock  Run,  175,  i77,  180,  182,  189, 

365. 
Rock  Run  School  House,  256. 
Rockford,  W.  Va.,  363,  368. 
Rogers,  Benjamin  F.,  296,  305. 

Isaac,  435. 

James  C,  287. 

Lester  C,  247. 

Nathan,    32. 
Rohrbaugh,  O.  L.,  379. 


Rosier,  Mrs.  Iva  Randolph,  306. 

Joseph,  380,  381. 
Ruling  Elders,  164. 
Runisey,  46. 
Runner,   Elijah,  54. 
Runyon,  Elisabeth,  431. 
Rust,   Mrs.   Flora,  379. 
R.  :  S.,  443. 

Sabbatarian    General    Conference, 

426. 
Sabbatarian  Valley,  162,  237,  284. 
Sabbath  Reform,  407. 

History  of,  331. 
Sabbath  School  Board,  286,  287. 
Sabbath  Schools,  History  of,  335. 
Bear  Fork.  (See  Conings). 
Black  Lick,  342. 
Buckeye  Run,  337. 
Conings,  340. 
Copen,  341. 
Greenbrier,  340. 
Long  Run,  337. 
Lost   Creek,  338. 
Middle  Island,  338. 
New  Salem,  336. 
Pine  Grove.  (See  South  Fork). 
Quiet   Dell,   338. 
Ritchie,    339. 
Roanoke,  340. 
Salemville,    341. 
South   Fork,  339. 
West  Union,  341. 
Sabbath  Tract  Society,  277. 
Sacred  Lyre,  401. 
Sadducee,  325. 

Salem,  N.  J.,  61,  182,  314,  429,  430. 
Salem,  W.  Va.,  44,  50,  56,  59,  106, 
113,    115,    116,    133,    249,    258, 
294,    299,    359,    363.    364,    365, 
405,    410,    441,   443,    447,    448, 
449,  453  note.  (Also  see  New 
Salem). 
Salem  Academy,  99,  300,  302. 
Salem    Church,    24,   83,    167,    184, 
193   note,   221,   297,   301,   303, 
304,    305,    306,    307,    309,    310, 
311,  373,  375-    (Also  see  New 
Salem  Church). 


INDEX 


485 


Salem  College,  99,  116,  117,  159, 
190,  219.  249,  301,  302,  303, 
304,    305,    308,    309,    310,    410, 

415,  424- 
History  of,  367. 

Attendance,  382. 

Board  of  directors,  378. 

Degrees  conferred,  380. 

Faculty,  379. 

Financial  statistics,  382. 

Incorporation,  371. 
Salem  Settlement,  84. 
Salemville,   Penn.,    246,    247,    249, 

285,  297,  298,  306,  341,  409. 
Salemville    Church,    7,    296,    306, 

307.  309.  310,  311,  424. 
History  of,  245. 

Clerks,    250. 

Constituent  members,  250. 

Deacons,  249. 

German    Seventh    Day    Bap- 
tists, 245. 

House  of  Worship,  248. 

Licenced  to  preach,  249. 

Membership        in        superior 
bodies,  247. 

Organisation,  247. 

Pastors,  248. 
Salemville  Sabbath  School,  341. 
Sammons,  Lewis,  78,  80,  269. 
Satterlee,  William,  313. 
Sauer,  Christopher,  245. 
Saunders,    Edv/ard    B.,    249,    306, 

308,  329- 

Sayre,  Charles  S.,  427. 

Sayres,  Solomon,  129,  130,  179. 

Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  265. 

Schwartzenau,  245. 

Sciota  Church,  271,  272,  273,  274, 

275,  276,  277. 
Sciota  River,  404. 
Scituate,  Mass.,  416. 
Scott,  Jacob,  54. 
Scott,    N.    Y.,   :i,27,   343,   360,   421, 

422. 
Scott  Church,  314.  422. 
Sea  Girt  Inlet,  N.  J.,  10. 
Seager,  Lely  D.,  118,  159,  167,  2\7. 

219,  244,  248, '303,  304. 


Second  Alfred  Church,  266. 
Second  Constitutional  Convention 

of  West  Virginia,  419. 
Second   Hopkinton     Church,    218, 

232. 
Second   Lost   Creek   Church,    152, 

160,  326. 
Seine  River,  46  note. 
Select   Schools,  335. 
Seventh  Day  Adventists,  202,  228. 
Seventh  Day  Baptist  churches  in 

United  States,  265. 
Seventh  Day  Baptists,  6,  9,  41,  43, 

47,  55- 
Seventh    Day    Baptist    Education 
Society,  296,  300,  307,  309,  310, 

311,  370,  374,  375,  277,  4ii- 

Seventh  Day  Baptist  hymn  books 
used  for  wadding  in  Battle  of 
Brandywine,  246  note. 

Seventh    Day   Baptist    Missionary 

Society,  113,  117,  188,  213,  248, 
249,  267,  274,  275,  289,  294, 
295,  296,  297,  298,  301,  302, 
305,  306,  307-  308,  309,  310, 
311,  358,  409,  411,  415,  421. 

Seventh  Day  Dunkers,  246. 
•  Shacklett,  Elisabeth,  79. 
John,  76,  77,  79. 

Shanghai,  China,  298,  302,  310. 

Shannon,  Content,   129,  130,   179. 
Gamble,  127,  130,  174,  177,  I79- 
James,   129,   130,  179. 

Shark  River,  9,  12,  27,  2,^,  35,  36. 

Sharpneck,  Daniel,  417. 

Shaw,   George   B.,  311. 

Shelbyville,  Tenn..   157,  407,  412. 

Shepardstown,  W.  Va.,  46. 

Sherman,  Oliver  D.,  226,  290,  294, 

303. 
Sherwood,  S.  Todd,  46. 
Shiloh,  N.  J.,  18,  76,  86,  102,  103, 

no,  159,  164,  321,  384,  393- 
Shiloh    Church,   7,    151,    314,    316, 

421. 
Shipbuilders'  yard,  9. 
Shock,  Albert,   169,   191,  251,  253, 

254,  286,  339,  341- 
Cinderilla,  251,   253. 


486        SEJ^ENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Shock  (Continued) 
Clara,  252. 
Clara  Ethel.  253. 
Iva  Virginia,  253,  341. 
Virginia,  252. 
Uriah  C,  251,  253,  341. 
Shrewsbury,   N.  J.,   10,   12,   14,  28, 
29-  30,  31,  35,  39,  54,  59,  100, 
13s,    286,    397,    398,    401,    435, 
436,  440. 
Shrewsbury  Church,  7.  19,  20,  24, 
44,  47,  52,  59,  61,  63,  83,  122, 
124,    141,    182,    397,    398,    399, 
400,    401,    402,    405,    411,    427, 
435- 
History  of,  9. 
Articles  of  faith  and  practise, 

and  church  covenant,  20. 
"Awful  Sentence    of    Excom- 
munication," 26. 
Battle  of  Monmouth,  27. 
Church  Meeting,  39. 
Clerk,  39. 

Communion  service,  39. 
Constituent  members,  31. 
Deaths,  37. 
Discipline,  18,  24. 
Doctrine  of  feet-washing,   14, 

15- 
Fast  Days,  40. 
Meeting  House.  29.  35. 
Ministers,  27. 
Moderator,  39. 
Notes     concerning     members, 

31- 
Ordination  of  pastor,  18. 
Organisation,    10,    12. 
Record  book,    17. 
Redemptioners,  25. 
Removal  to  New  Salem  from 

White  Day,  31. 
Removal     to     Virginia     from 

New   Jersey,   29. 
Ruling  Elders,  39. 
Settlement  at  Shrewsbury,  9. 
Settlement  at  White  Day,  30. 
Short   articles    of     faith    and 
practise,  22. 


Shriner,  Charles  F.,  250. 

Nancy,  250. 
Shushan,  N.  Y.,  420. 
Simpson,  James,  276. 

John,  44,  55. 
Sindall,  Martin,  307. 
Slavery,   103,  154,  172. 

History  of,  383. 
Smalley,  Anne,  429,  431. 
Smith,   C.  W.,  359. 
Delbert   Edwin,   448. 
Hannah,  22,  32,  23- 
John,    360. 
Mr.,    167. 

,  164. 

R-,   433- 
Zebulon,   32. 
Snake  Run,  43. 
Snodgrass,  V.  Curtis,  381. 
Snow  Hill,  Penn.,  246,  421. 
Society    for    the    Propagation    of 
the  Gospel  in  Foreign  Parts,  4. 
Socwell,  Eugene  H.,  304. 
South  Branch,  28. 
South    Branch    of    Little    Brushy 

Neck,  ID. 
South     Branch    of    the    Potomac 

River,  44. 
South  Carolina,  43. 
Southampton,  111.,  231,  239. 
South-Eastern  Association,  7,  104, 
106,    115,    158,    162,    170,    172, 
194,    202,   204,    216,    225,   231, 
237,    238,    239,    241,    242,    246, 
247,    249,    253,    257,    258,    262, 
326,    329,    330,    333,    336,    367, 
370,    373,    40s,    408,    409,   412, 
420,  423. 
History  of,  281. 
South  Fork  of  Hughes  River,  60, 

216,  217. 
South     Fork     of     Hughes     River 
Church,     175,    177,    213,    214, 
222,    223,    224,   267,    269,    270, 
271,    272,    273,   274,    275,   276, 
277,   278,    279,    282,    289,    325, 
331,  335,  336,  339,  408. 
History  of,  199. 
Clerks,  207. 


INDEX 


487 


South     Fork    of     Hughes     River 
Church  (Continued) 
Deacons,  206. 
Distinctive  tenets  of  faith  and 

practise,  203. 
Internal   dissensions,  202. 
Licenced  to  preach,  206. 
List  of  members,  209. 
Meeting  houses,  208. 
Membership        in        superior 

bodies,  204. 
Moderators,  207. 
Organisation,  199. 
Pastors,  205. 

Perplexing   questions    of   pol- 
ity and  doctrine,  201. 
School,   209. 

Union     with     Ritchie  Church, 
204,  221. 
South     Fork    of     Hughes     River 

Sabbath   School,  339. 
South  Lancaster,  Mass.,  365. 
South-Western     Association,     78, 
90,  94,  96,   102,   103,  168,   172, 
176,    194,    195,    197,    198,    204, 
205,   301,  30s,  307,    308,    309, 
310,    311,   327,    404,   406,    414, 
415,  426. 
History  of,  265. 
Southworth,  Enoch  B.,  363. 
Mary  Ann   Childers,  363. 
Sophia,  363. 

George  Washington,  2>^i- 
Spafford,  N.  Y.,  422. 
Spottswood,  Governor,  43. 
Spring    Hill    Township     (Fayette 

County),  Penn.,  48  note. 
Springer,  Cornel  Zeadock,  82. 
Spurgeon,  Charles,  340. 
Charles  J.,  242,  244. 
Christina,  242,  340. 
Emily,   340. 

Jabez,  242,  243,  252,  340. 
Joshua  C,  242,  244,  252,  340. 
Squam,  incorrect  form  of  Squan, 

10  note. 
Squan,  10  and  note,  14,  27,  28,  30, 

Squan  River,   10. 


Squankum,  9,  14,  17,  32,  37. 
St.   Margaret's,   Westminster   Ab- 
bey, 46. 
St.   Mary's,  W.  Va.,  356. 
Stalnaker,  Dorinda,  215. 

Levi,    113,    169,    212,    214,    215, 
217,  219,  230,  339. 
Starkey,  George,  199,  200,  212, 

John  C,  199,  200,  212. 

Rebecca,  212. 

Sarah,  199,  200,  212. 
Starkey  Family,  325. 
State  Church  of  Germany,  245. 
Steamboat,  The  first,  46  note. 
Steele,  Jennie,  253. 
Stelle,   Rachel,  430,  431. 
Stevenson,  Captain  Hugh,  45. 
Stillman,  Frances  E.,  380. 

Harold,  311. 

Harold  C,  381. 

Henry  R.,  269. 

Horace,  218,  295. 

Jo.seph,   16,   18,  32. 

Mrs.   Marcella,  306. 

Mary,   12,  31. 

Mazzini   G.,    159,  240,  249,   306, 

307,  309,  311- 
Stites,  Benjamin,  50,  52. 
Stokes  Church,  271,  272,  2yT,>  ^lAy 
275,  2y(i,  277. 

Stone,  ,  76  note. 

Stoneking,   Elisha,  365. 
Stonington,  Conn.,  6,  7,  12. 
Stout,  Hezekiah  M.,  158,  284,  287. 

Lloyd,    162. 

Milan,  320. 
Strother,  Daniel  P.,  234,  235. 

James  E.,  233,  235. 

Love  C,  235. 

Lucinda,    235. 

Mary  J.,  235. 

Oliver  C,  235. 

Resella,  235. 

William,    432. 
Stuart,   Anna,  363. 

Chapman  J.,  363. 

Elisabeth,  363. 
Sturgis,  John,  441. 

Leah,  74,  79,  441. 


488        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Sturgis    (Continued) 

Phyllis,  441. 

Rhoda,  441. 
Stuttler,  Leah,  128. 

Lewis    B.,    340. 

Oris  O.,  234. 

Sarah,  236. 
Sugar  Camp,   W.  Va.,  365. 
Sugar   Camp   Run,    175,    181,    182, 

183. 
Sullivan,  Abraham  W.,  447,  449. 

Ollie,  256,  259. 
Sussex  County,  N..J.,  50,  416,  450. 
Sutton,    Cornelius,    124,    418,   432, 
445,  450. 

Davis,  128. 

Davis  W.,  432. 

Dorinda,  212. 

Deborah,  128,  418,  433. 

Drusilla,   128. 

Eleanor,  128. 

Elisabeth,   133. 

Elisabeth  Applegate,  418. 

Elva,  340. 

Enoch   M.,  452. 

Erlow,  219,  340,  445. 

Francis  M.,  212. 

George  J.,  128. 

Henry,  430,  431. 

Hannah  J.,  212. 

Hezekiah  D.,  212,  226. 

Israel  W.,  452. 

Jacob,  429,  431. 

Jane,    131. 

Jeriel,  361. 

John,    107,    108,     120,    123,     127, 
404,  418,  433,  443. 

Jonas,  431. 

Lafayette,  337. 

Levi,   128,  432. 
J  Lovey  J.,  212. 

Martin,  212. 

Peter,  431. 

Rachel,  126,  443  note. 

Rachel   Davis.  418. 

Reuben,  433. 

Reuben  D.,  128. 

Taylor,  452. 

Tliadeus,  452. 


Sutton  (Continued) 

Vienna,    433. 
Suttons,  61. 
Swearingen,     Catharine,    48    and 

note,  so,  58. 
John,  48,  so  note. 
Joseph,  47,  so  note,  58. 
Swiger,   Frederick   M.,    120,    371, 

372,  378. 
Swindon,  Anna,  4^9,  431. 
Swinney,  Lucius  R.,  116,  158,  167, 

217,    232,    289,    290,    291,    292, 

293,  294,  296,  303,  336. 
Swisher,  Emily  V.,  423. 
Symmes,    John     Cleves,    52    and 

note. 

Tate,  Hugh,  433. 
Sarah,  365. 
William,  36s. 

Taylor,  Barbara,  79. 

Tecumseh,  54. 

Ten  Mile  Creek,  30  note,  31,  47, 
48  note,   so   note,   53,   54,  83, 
135- 

Ten  Mile  Settlement,  S4- 

Tennessee,  423. 

Tennessee  River,  43. 

Temperance  Reform  Pike  Church, 
267,  269. 

Terra  Haute,  Ind.,  422. 

Texarkana,  Ark.,  361. 

Texas,  424. 

Thompson,  John  L.,  381. 

Thorp,  Benjamin,  35,  s8,  59,   124, 
133.  430,  431- 

Threlkeld,  Charles  W.,  218,  295. 

Tichnell,  Rev.  Mr.,  200,  324. 

Tilton,  John,  439. 

Titsworth,  Isaac  D.,  286,  335. 

Todd,  Julius  M.,  288,  292,  297. 

Toll  Gate,  W.  Va.,  196. 

Tomlinson,  George  E.,  285,  333. 

Tonge,  James,  378. 

Towers,  George,  354. 

Towles,  R.  Lloyd,  378. 

Townsend,   Florence   M.    F.   Ran- 
dolph. 448. 


INDEX 


489 


Trainer,     Mrs.     George     H.,     403 

note. 
Tressie  M.  D.,  448. 
Traugh,  Jonathan,  364. 
Trent,  William,  47. 
Treaty  of  Lancaster,  47  note. 
Trenton,  N.  J.,  18,  435. 
Trough  School  House,  261,  342. 
Truxton,  N.  Y.,  86. 
Turkey  Run,  43. 
Turkey  Track,  43. 
Turtle  Tree,  43. 
Tygarts  Valley  River,  48  note,  56 

note. 
Tyler  County,  W.  Va.,  178. 
Union  Army,  353. 
Union  Chapel,  36. 
Uniontown,   Penn.,  81,  321. 
United  States,  103,  270. 
United  States  Government,  394. 
Universalists,  36. 
Upper  Providence,  Penn.,  2. 
Upshur  County,  W.  Va.,  47,  328. 
Utica,  Wis.,  368. 
Utter,  George  B.,  287,  385,  393. 

Vallego,  California,  361. 
Van  Horn,  Abby,  399. 

Abram,  399,  400. 

Ai,  445- 

Austin,  230. 

Betsey,  400. 

Catharine,  445. 

Edgar  D.,  427. 

Eli,  384  note. 

Elisabeth,    153,   400. 

Hannah,    445. 

Herbert  C,  427. 

Jacob,  158. 

Job,  399,  400  note,  434,  445. 

John  J.,  170. 

Lois,   149,  432. 

Moses,   384. 

Moses    H.,    169,   303,    305,    310, 
ii7,  379,  381. 

Sally,   320. 

Sarah,   146,   149. 

Theodore  J.,  307.  427. 

Thomas,  149,  320. 


276,  277, 
401,  404, 
421,    431. 


Van  Horn    (Continued) 
Virginia,   135,   142. 
William,  135,  142,  146,  149,  150, 
160,   169,  316,  320,  399,  433. 
William  B.,  161.  170.  378. 
Van    Horns,   61,    147. 
Van  Matre,  John,  44. 
Van  Meter,  Isaac,  354. 
"Verginey,"     State     of,    36.    (See 

Virginia). 
Vermont,  357. 

Virginia,  15  note,  27,  29,  30,  35, 
38  note,  43,  75,  78,  102,  266, 
268,  270,  274,  275, 
3i3>  398,  399,  400 
405.    407.    414,    418 

44-^ 
Virginia  Association,  78,  103,  172, 
176,    194,    195.    197.     198,    201, 
204,  277,  281,  311. 
History  of,  277. 

Wade,  A.  M.,  216. 

Wales,  5,  413. 
Cardiff,  i. 
Glamorganshire,    i. 
Penyfay,    i. 
Swansea,    i. 

Walker,  Henry  S.,  371,  2)72. 

Washington,  General,  27,  44,  45. 

Washington  County,  N.  Y.,  420. 

War  of  American  Independence, 
24. 

War  of  Independence,  27. 

V/ar  of  the  Revolution,  45,  246, 
416.  (Also  see  Revolutionary 
War). 

War  of  1812,  402,  450. 

Watkins,  Joseph,  80. 
Sarah,  80. 

Watts,  John,  2. 

Wayne,  General  ("Mad  An- 
thony"), 45,  46,  53.  55,  85,  450 
note. 

Wayne's  Orderly  Book,  450  note. 

Wayne's   War,  45,  450. 

Webb,  Benjamin,  432. 

Webster   County,  47. 

"Weeling"  Creek,  43. 


490 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 


Welch  Tract,  413. 
Welch  Tract  Church,  413. 
Wells,  Abraham,  79. 
Amos  R.,  86,  159,  164,  265.  313, 

314,  318. 
Ann,  79. 
Wellsburg,  Va.,  63. 
Welton,  Iowa,  401. 
Welsh  Baptists,  2  note. 
West,  Amanda  E.  Hall,  448. 

Jacob,  148. 
West  Augusta,  District  of,  48  and 

note. 
West  Fork  Church,  162,  242,  284. 

286,   287,  288,  289,    290,    292, 

293,  298,  311,  329.    (Also  see 

Roanoke  Church). 
West  Fork  River,  30  note,  31,  44, 

45,  46  note,  47,  50  note,  53,  60, 

83,  135.  159,  398. 
West  Fork  River  Church,  83,  84. 

102,  III,  120,  124,  426. 
History  of,   135. 
West  New  Jersey,  148. 
West  Union,  W.  Va.,  60,  6i,  85. 

87,  105,  106,  173,  178,  181,  183, 

185,   189,   196  and    note,    255. 

256,    258,    278,    319,    332,    341, 

343,    354,    360,    361,    362,    363, 

365,   402   and    note,   421,   422, 

423,  445,  447  and  note. 
West    Union    Academy,    97,     154 

note,   165,   196  note,  258,  279. 

327,    329,   367,   369,    383,   419, 

420,  421,  422,  423,  447  note. 
History  of,  343. 

Building  erected,  350. 

Charter,  344. 

Fundamental   weakness,   354. 

List  of  stockholders,  348. 

Modeled  after  the  North- 
western Virginia  Academy, 
354. 

Names  of  principals  and  stud- 
ents, 360. 

Organisation  completed,  348. 

Preliminary  organisation,  343. 

Property  sold,  351. 

Teachers  of,  352. 


West  Union  Church,  181,  185  note, 

261,    262,    300,    301,    303,    311, 

312. 
History  of,  255. 

Clerk,  259. 

Deacons,  256. 

Dissolution   of,   258. 

House  of   worship,  256. 

Membership        in        superior 
bodies,  258. 

Moderator,  259. 

Names  of  members,  259. 

Organisation,    255. 

Records,  258. 
West  Union  Sabbath  School,  341. 
West   Virignia,    15    note,  41,    156, 

209,   228,    300,   409,    410,   423, 

424,  441,  447,  449,  450  note. 
West  Virginia  churches,  213. 
West     Virginia     University,    376, 

424,   425- 
Westerly,  R.  I.,  5,  6,  7,  14,  31,  32, 

37,  249.  385,  397- 
Westerly  Church,  4,  5,  6,   14,   18, 

38,  397- 

Western     Association,     102,  172, 

194,    197,    265,    266,   267,  271, 

273,   279   and   note,   285,  287, 

288,  289,  290,  292,    293,  294, 

295,   296,    297,    298,    302,  303, 

304,  305,  306,  307,  308,  309, 
310,  311. 

Western  Virginia,  Description  of, 

41. 
Boone,  Daniel,  46. 
First    explored,   43. 
First  settled,  44. 
Indians,  43,  53. 
Indian  names,  43. 
Mound-builders,  41. 
New   Salem  established,  58. 
Political  boundaries,  47,  48  note. 
Represented     in     Revolutionary 

War,  45. 
Settlement  on  Ten  Mile  Creek, 

47- 
Stone  Tablet,  41,  42. 
Westminster  Abbey,  46. 
Westmoreland  County,  Penn.,  52. 


INDEX 


491 


Weston,  W.  Va..  161. 
Wheeler,  Samuel  R.,  288,  303. 
Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  43,  450  note. 
Wheeling    Creek,    43.     (Also    see 

Weeling  Creek). 
White,   Buchannon,  380. 
Joshua  Judson,  293. 
William,  54. 
White  Day,  W.  Va.,   133,  441. 
White  Day  Creek,  30,  31,  47,  83, 

398. 
White  Friars,  246. 
Whitford,  Adelle  M.,  368. 
John,  88. 
Oscar  U.,  116,  249,  289,  301,  305, 

307,  308,  309. 
William  C,  311,  393. 
Wilcox,  Martin,  88. 
Wildman,  Bird,  251. 
Cora  Bird,  252. 
Emily  A.,  251. 
Emily  A.  Nettie,  252. 
Mary,  253. 
Mary  E.,  251,  252. 
Sally   C,  251,   252. 
William,  452. 

William  L.,  251,  252,  253,  341. 
Willey,  John,  434. 
William  and  Mary's  College,  354. 
Williams,    Cornelius,   74,   79,    146, 
148,  150,  167,  316,  318,  320. 
Elijah,  318,  320. 
Emily,  366. 
Fenton,  340. 
Frank  W.,  340. 
George,  432. 
John,    107. 
Orville    D.,    296. 
Thomas  R.,  288. 
William,  149,   151,  153,   167. 

Williams,  ,  366. 

Williamses,  61,   147. 
Williamstown,  W.  Va.,  360. 
Willis,  James  E.,  193,  339. 
Wilson,  Hiram,  372,  378. 
Wisconsin,  7,  80,  415. 
Withers,   (Alexander),  55. 
Witter,  Ellis  A.,  99,  119,  310,  311. 
Wittgenstein,  245. 


Wolf  Pen  Run,  43,  181,  278,  325. 
Wolfe,  Amos  D.,  250,  341. 
Charles  C,  249,  311,  341. 
John,   249,   341. 
John  H.,  249,  306,  380,  381. 
Wood  County,  W.  Va.,  47. 
Woodbridge,  Anne,  74,  79,  81,  82, 
441. 
Mary,  79,  81,  441. 
Mrs.,  316. 

Samuel,  72,  74,  75,  76,  77,  78,  80, 
81,  82,    84,    III,    321,    399, 
413,  441- 
Woodbridge,  N.  J.,  429,  431. 
Woodbridgetown,    Penn.,    76,    84, 
103,    147,    316,    2>i7,    318,    319, 
321,    323,    398,   413,    440    and 
note. 
Woodbridgetown  Church,    47,    58, 
124,    136,    147,    155,    159,    196, 
267,    269,    270,    271,    272,    273, 
274,    275,    277,    278,    279,    289, 
315,    321,    322,    398,    399,    413, 
414,   415,   417- 
History  of,  72)- 
Clerks,  77. 

Constituent  members,  74. 
Deacons,  77. 
Deaths,    80. 
List  of  members,  78. 
Meeting  house,  76. 
Membership        in        superior 

bodies,  78. 
Organisation,  72,- 
Records,   72,   76. 
Will  of  Samuel  Woodbridge, 
81. 
Woodsfield,  Ohio,  324. 
Woolley,    Mary,   429,   431. 
Wreck  Pond,  10. 
Wright,  Joshua,  278  note. 
Wyoming,  39. 

Yankee  frame,   108,   184. 
Yankee  Street  Church,  404. 
Yearly    Meeting,   5,    14,     100,     101 

note. 
Yellow  Creek,  Penn.,  52. 
Yohogania   County,  48   and   note, 


492        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

50  note.  .   Zinn,  Adeline,  212. 

York   County,   Penn.,  246.  Angelina,  212. 

Young,  Eva  L.,  381.  Elisabeth,   212. 

Young  People's  Society  of  Chris-  Nancy,  212. 

tian  Endeavour,  301.  Qtho  Preston,  212. 


ADVANCE    SUBSCRIBERS. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  advance  subscribers  to  A  History 
of  Seventh  Day  Baptists  in  West  Virginia,  whose  names  have 
been  received  up  to  the  time  of  going  to  press : — 

ALABAMA. 

At  t  alia. 
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Tuscumbia. 
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Fouke. 
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A.  M.  Furrow, 
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L.  A.  Hurley, 
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CALIFORNIA. 

BakersHeld. 
Mrs.  George    S.    McKee. 

Riverside. 
Rev.  John  T.  Davis. 
L.   R.   Davis, 
Silas  F.  Randolph, 

B.  F.   Titsworth. 

COLORADO. 
Boulder. 
Mrs.  Roanna    McWhorter. 

CONNECTICUT. 
Lebanon. 
Rev.  Leander   E.   Livermore. 


494        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Neiv  London. 

A.  B.  Burdick, 
Mrs.  Thomas  W.   Rogers. 

Stamfo7'd. 

B.  Frank  Whitford. 

FLORIDA. 

Daytona. 
William  A.   Langworthy. 

Tampa. 
J.  Belle  Witter. 

ILLINOIS. 

Chicago. 
Alfred  S.  Burdick, 
William  M.  Davis, 

B.  F.  Langworthy, 
Ira  J.   Ordway, 
George  W.   Post, 

Mrs.  A.    R.    Sheppard, 
Mrs.  R.  M.  Thompson, 
Rev.  Wayland    D.    Wilcox. 
Farina. 

A.   C.   Bond, 
Rev.  Charles    A.    Burdick, 
Mrs.  Thankful  C.  Childs, 
Mrs.  Lura   P.   Persels, 

Ernest  F.  Randolph, 
Rev.  Lely  D.   Seager, 
Mrs.  O.   C.  Wells, 

C.  H.   West, 
Thomas   Zinn. 

Stone  Fort. 
Oliver  Lewis, 
Rev.  Robert    Lewis. 

INDIAN    TERRITORY. 

Tiawah. 
Lloyd   Bond,  2  copies. 

IOWA. 

IVelton. 
J.    O.    Babcock, 
A.  E.  Forsythe, 
H.   R.   Loofboro, 
J.    W.    Loofboro, 
L.  A.  Loofboro. 


ADVANCE  SUBSCRIBERS  495 

KAXSAS. 

Americus. 
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Elmdale. 
Elsworth  W.  Jefifrey,  2  copies. 

Nortonville. 
T.    C.    Davis, 
Rev.  George    W.    Hills. 

MINNESOTA. 

Dodge  Centre. 
Rev.  George   W.    Lewis. 

Mimieapolis. 
P.    C.    Maxson. 

New   Auburn. 
Rev.  Perie  R.   Burdick, 
Mrs.  James    W.    Crosby, 
Mrs.  John    Ritchie. 

MISSOURI. 

Moberly. 
John  B.  Jennings. 

Summervillc. 
Rev.  T.    G.    Helm. 

NERBASKA. 

Lincoln. 
Mrs.  Rachel  David. 

North    Loup. 
Rev.  M.    B.    Kelley, 
H.   C.  VanHorn. 

NEW    JERSEY. 
Behnar. 
Bartine   Newman. 

Hoboken. 
Thomas   B.    Stillman. 

Netv  Brunswick. 
Alfred   A.   Titsworth. 

Nezv  Market. 
Rev.  Henry    N.    Jordan, 
Iseus  F.  Randolph. 

Nutlcy. 
William  R.  Clarke,  2  copies. 
Plainiield. 
Mrs.  George    H.    Babcock,    5    copies, 
William    E.    Bond, 
Rose    Davis, 


496        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

PlainHeld    {Continued). 
Mrs.  Charles  H.  Dunham, 

Helen   T.   Ford, 

Mandella   Ford, 

Frank  J.   Hubbard, 
*J.  Frank  Hubbard,  2  copies, 

Joseph   A.    Hubbard,   2   copies, 

William   C.   Hubbard, 

Irving  Hunting. 
Rev.  Abram   Herbert  Lewis, 

Henry   M.   Maxson, 
Mrs.  Henry  M.   Maxson, 

John   P.   Mosher, 

Asa  F.   Randolph, 

Ida   F.    Randolph, 

A.   C.   Rogers, 

Orra    S.    Rogers, 

Friedrich    Schreiner, 
Rev.  George  B.  Shaw, 

J.   Dennison   Spicer, 
Mrs.  D.    R.    Stillman, 

William   M.    Stillman,   2   copies, 

Arthur   L.   Titsworth, 

David  E.  Titsworth, 
*Joseph   M.   Titsworth, 

Lewis    T.    Titsworth, 
Mrs.  Valentine    Utzinger, 

Nathan    S.    Wardner, 

Frank   S.   Wells,  2  copies. 
Shiloh. 

Micajah    Ayars, 

George    Bonham, 

Albino  W.  Davis, 

Irene  C.  Davis. 

NEW    YORK. 

Adams  Centre. 
Mrs.  W.   T.   Colton, 
Levi  A.  Crandall, 
Grant  W.  Davis, 
DeChois    Greene, 
O.  DeGrasse  Greene, 
A.  J.  Horton, 
Rev.  Sj-lvester   S.   Powell. 
Alfred. 
Alfred  University  Librarj^  2  copies, 
Vernon    A.    Baggs, 
Lyle    BennehofF, 
(30 


ADVANCE  SUBSCRIBERS  497 

Alfred    (Continued). 

Rev.  Ahva  J.  C.  Bond, 
Asa  C.  Burdick, 
Silas  G.  Burdick, 
William  H.   Crandall, 
Rev.  Boothe  C.  Davis,  3  copies, 
H.    Eugene    Davis, 
W.  E.  Drummond, 
Rev.  James  L.   Gamble, 

Charles    H.    Greene, 
Rev.  Walter   L.    Greene, 

Alpheus    B.    Kenyon, 
Rev.  Arthur    E.    Main,    2    copies, 

Alfred    T.    Randolph, 
Mrs.  Loisanna    T.    Stanton, 
Charles    Stillman, 
Edward    M.    Tomlinson, 
Rev.  Edgar   D.   VanHorn, 
Rev.  Herbert    C.    VanHorn, 

A.  E.  Webster, 
Rev.  William   C.   Whitford. 
Allentozvn. 

H.    L.    Hukfit. 

Andover. 

Rev.  Stephen  Burdick. 

Berlin. 
P.   O.   Lamphier, 
Sabbath   School. 

Bristol. 
Mrs.  Eunice   L.    Noble. 

Brooktield. 
Mrs.  Annetta  A.   Clarke, 
Jennet  T.  Rogers. 

Brooklyn. 
Frank  L.  Greene, 
John  B.  Cottrell. 

Cuba. 
Mrs.  William  W.  Kingsbury. 
DeRuyter. 
*Rev.  Lucius   R.   Swinney. 

Great  Kills  P.  O. 
Esle  F.  Randolph. 

Hamilton. 
Virginia  A.  Willson, 

(for  Colgate  Collection  of  Baptist  History), 


498        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Independence. 
Rev.  Asa  G.  Crofoot, 
Mrs.  Abbie    Berry. 

LeonardsviUe. 

H.  D.  Babcock, 
■Mrs.  S.  E.  Brand, 
Rev.  Ira  Lee  Cottrell, 

Alva  L.  Davis, 
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Little  Genesee. 
Rev.  Simeon    H.    Babcock, 

Mary  E.  Bowler, 

Ormond  E.   Burdick, 

H.  B.  Clark, 
Rev.  J.  L.   Hull. 

New  Rochelle. 
Edna  J.    Brow^n. 
Lena   M.    Greene. 

Nezv  York  City. 
Stephen  Babcock,  2  copies, 
Samuel  F.  Bates, 
L.    K.    Burdick, 
Kate  M.   Clarke, 
Rev.  Samuel   H.   Davis, 

Bernard    Login, 
Rev.  Eli  F.  Loofboro, 
Anna   F.    Maltby, 
Alfred  C.   Prentice, 
L.  Adelle  Rogers, 
Herbert  G.   Whipple. 
Nile. 
L.  Burdick, 
Rev.  Willard  D.   Burdick. 
Oneida. 
William   E.    Witter. 
Scott. 
Rev.  William    H.    Ernst, 
Mrs.  Sarah  W.  Richardson, 
Mrs.  D.   D.   L.   Burdick. 

Syracuse. 
E.    S.   Maxson. 

Utica. 
Holly  W.   Maxson. 

Yonkers. 
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ADVANCE  SUBSCRIBERS  499 

OHIO. 
Ada. 
Mrs.  C.   A.   Hetrick. 

De  Graff. 
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Jackson  Centre. 
Rev.  Judson  G.   Burdick, 
A.    H.   Davis, 
Linville  B.  Davis, 
J.   D.   Jones, 
Charles  L.  Polan, 
Charles    Sutton. 

Lake  View. 
J.   S.   Van   Horn. 

OKLAHOMA. 

Kingfisher. 

Rev.  Sanford  L.  Maxson. 

OREGON. 

Bellewood. 

Willard   D.    Stillman. 

Erskineville. 
Ralph    G.    Junkin. 

PENNSYLVANIA. 
Coiidersport. 
♦Mrs.  LeRoy  Burdick. 

Erie. 
Mrs.  Angeline  Abbey. 

Philadelphia. 
Sherman   E.   Ayars. 

Salemville. 
Lewis   P.   Berksheimer, 
Rev.  Riley   G.    Davis, 
Simeon    E.    King, 
Abraham  W.  Walter, 
Amos    D.    Wolfe, 
Charles   C.   Wolfe. 

Shadelatid. 
John  H.  Wolfe. 

RHODE    ISLAND. 
Ashaway. 
George    B.    Carpenter, 
Mrs.  Asa   S.   Briggs, 
Rev.  William  L.   Burdick, 
Matthew  I.  Kenyon, 
Thomas  Turnbull. 


500       SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Hopkinton. 
Sarah  A.  Langworthy, 
Rev.  Lewis  F.  Randolph. 

Potter  Hill. 
Mary  G.  Stillman, 
George  N.  Burdick. 

Providence. 
Albert  W.  Brown,  3  copies. 

Westerly. 
William   L.    Clarke, 
Hannah  Crandall, 
J.  Irving  Maxson, 
Joseph   H.    Potter, 

C.  Latham  Stillman, 
Eugene  Stillman, 
George  H.  Utter, 

*Rev.  Oscar  U.  Whitford,  2  copies. 

TEXAS. 

Port   Lavaca. 

D.  S.  Allen. 

WEST  VIRGIXIA. 

Aberdeen. 
Levi   D.   Bond. 

Berea. 
G.   W.    Brissey, 
Mrs.  M.  A.  Maxson  Davis,  2  copies, 
T.   N.   Gribble, 
Minerva    Kildow,    2    copies, 
John   E.    Meatherell, 
♦Ellsworth   F.   Randolph, 
Erlow  Sutton. 

Blandville. 
C.   P.   Davis, 

E.  B.   Kelley, 
John   A.    Polan, 
W.  E.  Sutton, 
S.  B.  Sutton, 
A.  W.  Willis. 

Bo  lair. 
Ozina  M.  Bee,  2  copies, 
Bridgeport. 
Samuel   S.   Faris. 

Burnsville. 
Iva  Virginia  Shock. 

Cascara. 
M.   W.    Bonnell. 


ADVANCE  SUBSCRIBERS  501 

Clarksburg. 
Mrs.  Perry  Williams, 
P.  M.  Long. 

Craigmoor. 
J.   B.    Paugh. 

Fairmont. 
Mrs.  Joseph   Rosier. 

Jane  Lew. 
Rev.  Samuel  D.   Davis, 
S.  Orlando  Davis, 
U.  B.  Davis. 

Long  Run. 
James  Kelley,  2  copies. 
Lost  Creek. 
John  E.   Batten, 
Luther   A.   Bond, 
T.   M.   Bond, 
H.  N.  Davis, 
J.  Lewis  Davis, 
Levi    B.    Davis, 
M.  S.  Davis, 
Scott  F.  Randolph, 
William  F.  Randolph. 
Miletus. 
Neely  Davis, 
Cornelius    Maxson, 
*Daniel   P.   Strother, 
Oris  O.   Stutler, 
Fenton  W.  Williams, 

Ne-zu  Milton. 
William   H.    H.   Davis, 
Franklin  F.  Randolph, 
Roy  F.  Randolph. 

Nina. 
Marcellus  Clark, 
Mrs.  Marvel   Davis. 

Nu]nan. 
C.   G.   Davis, 
M.  Van  Buren  Davis,  2  copies. 

Parkersburg. 
Virginia  Jennings. 

Princeton. 
Isaiah    Bee. 

Pursley. 
Mrs.   W.   T.   Ford. 

Raz'cnszi'ood. 
Andrew  Judson   Charter. 


502        SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Roanoke. 

C.    A.    Bond, 

J.   C.   Bond, 

Mrs.  Lenora  M.  Bond. 
Salem. 

Elsie    B.    Bond, 

Samuel   B.   Bond, 

C.    B.    Bonnell, 

Sarah   C.    Bonnell, 

Asher   S.   Childers, 

Fenton  R.  Clark, 

Cortez  R.   Clawson, 

Burdick   Davis, 

Clementina  M.  Davis, 

Earl   W.   Davis, 

Ernest   O.    Davis, 

Ethelbert  J.   Davis, 

Guy  Davis,  Jr., 

L.  Dow  Davis, 
Mrs.  Mollie  B.  Davis, 

Okey   W.    Davis, 

M.  Wardner  Davis, 

W.  Franklin  Davis, 

Flavius  J.  Ehret, 

Laura  Ford, 

Samuel    A.    Ford, 

S.  W.  Ford, 
Rev.  Theodore  L.  Gardiner,  2  copies, 

Daisy  L.  Kemper, 

I.  Scott  Kennedy, 
Mrs.  B.  W.  Kinney, 

Lucian   D.   Lowther, 

Stillman  F.  Lowther,  2  copies, 

Ella  Meek, 
Mrs.  Cora    R.    Ogden, 

Charles  A.   F.  Randolph,  2  copies, 

Colwell  M.   Randolph, 

Daniel   Fillmore   F.    Randolph, 

Ernest  F.  Randolph, 
Mrs.  George  W.  F.  Randolph,  2  copies, 

Gillette   F.    Randolph, 

James   F.    Randolph, 

Jesse    F.    Randolph, 

John  F.  Randolph, 

Judson  F.  Randolph, 

Preston    F.    Randolph, 

Ray   F.    Randolph, 


ADVANCE  SUBSCRIBERS 

Salem    {Continued). 
O.  W.  Swiger, 
Salem  College  Library, 
Mrs.  George   H.   Trainer,   3   copies, 
Moses  H.  VanHorn, 
William   B.    VanHorn, 
Rev.  Ellis  A.  Witter,  2  copies. 
Shins  ton. 
S.   Orestes   Bond. 

Spurgeon. 
Joshua    C.    Spurgeon. 

Sugar  Camp. 
Johnson  J.  Lowther. 

Peel  Tree. 
Mrs.  Erene    R.    Bond. 

West    Union. 
F.   M.   Davis, 
Herbert    T.    Davis, 
Lewis  Townsend   Davis, 
Samuel   L.    Ford, 
Mrs.  J.  E.  Trainer. 
Ida  J.  Warner. 

IVhifc  Oak. 
Festus    Kelley. 

WISCONSIN. 
Albion. 
Fred   Davis, 
Lester   Kelley, 
Nathan    Kelley, 
Paul    Palmiter, 
Rev.  Theodore  J.  VanHorn. 

Clin  fun. 
Mrs.  M.   G.  Townsend. 

Drummoiid. 
W.   R.   Rood. 

Milton. 
Albert  R.  Crandall, 
Rev.  William    C.    Daland, 

Benoni  I.  Jeffrey, 
Rev.  Lewis  A.  Platts, 
Albert   Whitford. 

Milton  Junction. 
Rev.  Richard  C.  Bond, 
Rev.  Darius  K.  Davis. 

Utica. 
James   H.    Coon. 


503 


504 


SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS  IN  WEST  VIRGINIA 

Walworth. 
Mrs.  W.  L.  Hibbard, 
Rev.  Mazzini   G.    Stillman. 

CANADA. 

Petitcodiac,  New  Brunswick. 
Rev.  George  Seeley. 

WEST   AFRICA. 

Ayan  Main,  Gold  Coast. 
E.  G.  A.  Ammokoo. 


(32) 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY 


0035521058 


Randolph 

A  hiatory  of  Sevdnth  day  Bap- 


iists  in  West  Virginia. 


BRfTTLPDONQT 
PHOTOCOPY 


